DeMigOd PrEdAtoR by RjAiN
by TheNanadouSennin
Summary: It's a Chaos story owned by Rishabh Jain but as he didn't finish it, with his permission, I took it over and decided to continue it but have rewritten some chapters or just erased them to make the story the way I see it. It's set in the same time with TLH
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1****  
**  
I have a great life everyone would die for. It wasn't perfect but I am happy. I have a dad that loves me indirectly, a mom and a step dad that always supports me, a bunch of friends that are loyal to me, a teacher that would never fail me down, some Olympians, yes, Olympians on my good side. Absolutely unperfectly perfect. If "unperfectly" is a word, which isn't until today.

My story begins now:  
"Hey Seaweed brain, why are you dozing off again, what do you prefer a giant statue of Hermes or Apollo?" Annabeth asked me, oh yes, I almost forgot, I also have the not-so-best yet very lovable girlfriend in the world – Annabeth Chase.  
I said something very smart like –"Uh, Pan," I said, then I recalled, Apollo or Hermes only! Oh Annabeth will scold me until I felt a giant bear hug.  
"Percy you're a genius! Pan! Why haven't I thought of him, I must use this pillar in remembrance of him, I love you!" she said and quickly erased the statues and hurriedly created another one, one that looks like a satyr. After she finished, as if on cue, the door opened and came in was Grover Underwood, my best friend.  
"Perce, Anna, Chiron needs you at the Big House," he said to which I replied, "Well, that's fine G-man, I'd just wait Wise Girl to be finished and we'd get there in no-time."  
"Kay!" he said as he left, mumbling something about 'Juniper' and 'A Perfect Present'.  
"Okay Seaweed Brain, I'm done, so shall we?" Annabeth said after a couple of minutes, I nodded and got up. We exited her cabin and went to the Big House hand-by-hand. Everyone knows that we are a thing and we don't think there won't be any reason for us to hide it so it was a normal scene.  
Once we arrived at the porch, I saw Mr. D or Dionysus god of Wine playing pinochle with a satyr, and a pair of invisible people. We passed by, not minding him but simply bowed and went inside, knowing nothing about the reason we were called. When we entered the real inside of the house, I found three figures, a blond haired girl and a black-haired guy.  
The girl looked about two years younger while the guy seemed our age.  
"Percy, glad you arrived, these are two new campers who somehow miraculously survived monster attacks and was genius enough to go abroad at China to live peacefully but was tracked there and somehow ended here, go and tour them, by the way, _Perseus Jackson_, son of Poseidon and Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena meet Alexandra Milarose and Jerric Johnson," he said, I smiled as well as Annabeth.  
Sadly, the girl simply smirked and shook my hand which I brought out while the guy smiled, not at me but more like at Annabeth.

=_Time Skip: One Month_=  
From then on, my life became miserable. Why you ask. Simple, I lost everything I have. It all started when the off springs of Typhon and Echidna: the Hydra, the Sphinx, the Nemean Lion, and the Chimera, somehow joined forces by some unknown reason and was clearly creating havoc along others drakons and dragons. Three campers were assigned and the one to lead was Jerric. Well, let me say something before that happened, during Capture the Flag, I confirmed my suspicions. Yes, Jerric is the son of my father and my half brother while Alex (as she wants to be called as) is a daughter of Zeus.  
Back to present, Alex is kind, too kind to be exact while Jerric is a gentle man, but on Annabeth and he was too gentleman as well. Okay, so yes, Jerric was assigned to go and as usual, he chose Alex, and what made me worried is that he chose Annabeth.  
That is when I heard the prophecy by Rachel:

_** Three should go to west and meet the seven**__**  
**__** One may die at the hand of the tribe's men**__**  
**__** The quest may fail at the verge of tears**__**  
**__** Where one may stock for a thousand years**__**  
**__** In the city of popularity where the dead resides**__**  
**__** Shall you see and may defeat the one who tries**__**  
**__** The result may change the life and create small debris**__**  
**__** But what is worse is that the savior may die by the hand of his**_

And my worry doubled. This quest isn't sure to succeed, Annabeth may die at the hand of a certain monster or tribe, and then they may fail through…tears? The quest is dangerous…period and I won't let Annabeth to join. I talked to her, consulted her, pleaded but to no avail, she left and I was stuck to wait until I remember that I can help and keep an eye on her!  
I have a ton of drachma which I got over the years and I can, well, travel through waters like Shadow Travel courtesy by dad.  
And so I followed or more like watched them from time to time as to not raise any suspicion. Everything as what the prophecy said came true but they all got out from it. But what bothered me is that Annabeth became too open and too close with Jerric than I can afford. I was jealous but well, who wouldn't be? And what is more is that she was softened when Jerric cried on me for he is scared and admitted things and was comforted by Annabeth.  
Then they became closer until they reached the battle field where they met the Daughter of Apate, goddess of deceit and he did cheated them but well, as I said, I water travelled and then defeated them when they didn't saw and I left without them knowing after I killed the Chimera, the Hydra, and the Sphinx leaving one for them.  
After they returned to camp, well, things gets worse as Hades broke loose for me. One day, I saw the two talking happily and almost kissing near the lake and so I did what is best or what seemed logical for me.  
_**Flashback: **_  
I was walking towards the lake when I heard laughing. Usually, I would brush it but when I noticed it was Annabeth's, I followed the sound.  
Shortly afterwards, the laughers stopped and I saw them, their faces almost near to each other that I was so enraged that I exited from my hiding place and went towards them.  
"Annabeth let's go," I said, grabbing her hand, I didn't mean to grasp her hand harshly but I did since I guess you could say that I lost control since the person that is linking me towards the human world almost kissed another person.  
"Percy, let go, it, it hurts," she said. I looked at her and saw fear in her eyes that I softened. I whispered, "I will, if we leave."  
She nodded but then, the jerk Jerric stood up and said, "What gives, doesn't mean you two are best friends and couples that you can take her wherever you go you Prissy! Afraid to lose her, well, I think I deserve her better than a guy with no balls and hurting the person she loves."  
"Oh no you didn't just said that," I said as I felt something snapped and my vision blurred with red and the next thing I knew, I was being stopped by Clarisse and a few other Ares campers with a few Apollo and Demeter campers stopping Connor, Travis, and Alex from me with Jerric having almost unconscious and Annabeth...treating Jerric.  
Chiron said that I would be punished since favoritism isn't allowed so I got last in showers, dishwasher in breakfast, lunch and dinner, suspended from all classes and the one to gather arrows and different stuffs and I get to take a bath last.  
Everyone hated me, I felt it. They hated me for hurting their hero. But that isn't the one which hurt, it was Grover and Annabeth, they were treating him like they used to treat me. They avoided me, everyone did and I was isolated.  
They torture me, somehow but they did. During Capture the Flag, I was maimed by Jerric, Alex and their friends, my face was shoved through dirt and stuffs like that, and even with the Styx' Curse or Blessing, I still felt hurt, emotionally and physically because

1) No one even bother to punish them, even Chiron so where does "no favoritism" go? And 2) No one even asked if I was okay and they think that I am since I have the curse and that is what Chiron said.  
And when they saw Jerric's wound, wow, whatever happened is unexplainable. And as if the pain and torture wasn't enough, the Apollo kids 'accidentally' get their arrows at odd places which is hard to get to. Then Aphrodite kids said that I peeked on them or the Pegasus, even Blackjack, won't even talk to me!  
It was painful, several more things happened, I lost my towel when I was getting bath and my T-shirt, I lost my Minotaur's horn, and more.  
Then one morning, something triggered something in me and I just have to leave camp. When I was about to, as a good-bye message to everyone and say sorry. Well, they said that I am scared, running to mommy and daddy for help and cry because I can't take it at all.  
Then I snapped again to them as usual and once again punched the guy and his friends earning me more glares from the girls and actually, it was only Nyssa (a new friend from Hephaestus Cabin) and Clarisse with a few Ares Campers who kind of hate their guts (a shocker), oh, and Rachel who had the guts to gave me a good good-bye and Annabeth, well, I guess we broke up and I was crushed but I am strong until now.  
Now that – "Percy you idiot! Why did you-you! What's wrong with you! Why, why are you acting like a child! It was just a tease, as if you haven't been teased so why attack?" Annabeth said.  
"Why Annabeth, answer me, why wouldn't I snap? If you are in the same shoes as I am, you would have the urge, you should thank me that I haven't killed him and the others, it is a good thing I still have control in me after you broke up with me for him because I hit him in the face for provoking me, when no one in the damn camp cared, well, almost no one cared when I was shoved into the dirt, was cut in my feet, was severely injured, when Alex, the goody girl, went to Atlantis and replaced me and was forgetting by my own father because I wasn't good enough, when they played pranks on me, and they even...don't you know that my dad and mom had died just recently," I said as I turned my back, I felt pitying eyes but I don't need them now.  
"I, I have to go," I said more to Rachel, Nyssa and the Ares' off springs as I ran away.  
When I was on my personal car gift of my dad Paul, and accelerated it at full speed as to how the Grey Sisters use it. I was about to slow down when I saw a truck and I remembered the Prophecy:  
_** "Shall you see and may defeat the one who tries"**_ – So I saw the one who sees and defeated him, the child of Apate and defeated her.  
The result may change the life and create small debris – So the results isn't what I did that they won, it was the short torture, like walking on real debris. But what is worse is that the savior may die by the hand of his – I will kill myself out of misery.  
I tried to press the break but my feet won't move and I heard snapping, turned my gazes towards the Fates and saw a thread just snapped. And so I know now, I closed my eyes, leaned my head towards the steering wheel and laughed. Wow, my life would end badly and sad. I have been stupid, the Fate's are bitches, how dare them, and Aphrodite is a bitch as well. Add Jerric, Alex, Poseidon my dad to that, oh, and Annabeth, Grover, Chiron, Silena, the Stolls, Katie, Beckendorf and all of them as well on being bastards.  
I laughed as I fell and hear a crashing, I felt pain, as the metals squished me slowly after the car crashed at the side of the road and flame started going on. Wow, this hurts more than River Styx, oh well; at least it wasn't torture anymore. I smiled and died with a smile on my face. The pain is over.  
And I had a Not-so Good Good-bye.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The next thing I remembered was pain. The pain was so extreme that it locked every fiber of my being, paralyzing me. My throat was burning and my mouth felt like all my teeth fell out. The pain was so extreme that all sane thoughts escaped my mind. There was only one thought one primal instinct-escape the pain. Even as I struggled to control myself, I knew it was a lost fight. The pain was burning my essence, my Soul. And just as I thought pain was unbearable. The fire started. The pain was bewildering. Exactly that—I was bewildered. I couldn't understand, couldn't make sense of what was happening.  
My body tried to reject the pain, and I was sucked again and again into a blackness that cuts out whole seconds or maybe even minutes of the agony, making it that much harder to keep up with reality. I tried to separate them.  
Non-reality was black, and it didn't hurt so much.  
Reality was red, and it felt like I was being sawed in half, hit by a bus, punched by a prize fighter, trampled by bulls, and submerged in acid, all at the same time.  
Reality was feeling my body twist and flip when I couldn't possibly move because of the pain. The warmth beside my heart got more and more real, warmer and warmer. Then hot. The heat was so real it was hard to believe that I was imagining it, hotter…uncomfortable now. Hotter, burning hot.  
Like grabbing the wrong end of a curling iron—my automatic response was to drop the scorching thing in my arms. But there was nothing in my arms. My arms were not curled to my chest. My arms were dead things lying somewhere at my side. The heat was inside me.  
The burning grew—rose and peaked and rose again until it surpassed anything I'd ever felt.  
I felt the pulse behind the fire raging now in my chest and realized that I'd found my heart again, just in time to wish I never had. To wish that I'd embraced the blackness while I'd still had the chance. I wanted to raise my arms and claw my chest open and rip the heart from it—anything to get rid of this torture. But I couldn't feel my arms, couldn't move one vanished finger.  
_No_…I thought. It will not end like this. After everything that happened, I will not give up. I imagined the fates: Holding up a yarn, snipping the chord. I thought that was Luke. But I was wrong. It was me. Does that means this is the end?  
I fought as I've never fought in my entire life, a desperate struggle for sanity. An instinct buried deep within me finally kicking in. but try as I might, darkness begins to engulf me.  
_ "Gods are faithless. You will be better off as a statue"__  
__ "do not be pawn for Gods, Percy Jackson"__  
__ "you can never count on your friends, Luke learned it the hard way"_  
Words rang in my head. Each one was like a blow to my spirit. I was fighting a losing war. As the pain brought me to my oblivion, a soft voice echoed in my head.  
"_Not yet my hero_."  
And suddenly I saw a vision, a vision so terrible that it shocked me out of my hysterics. For a moment I was so terrorized that I was able to almost ignore the pain. Then something else erupted inside me: Fury, Rage so terrible that I could feel the world trembling literally. My brain went into auto drive. Fury raced throughout my body, through every muscle, every fiber, every cell. No. I will not let this happen. Then, drawing strength I didn't know existed inside me, from the deepest corner of my being; I took control of my rebel body and erupted out like an angry volcano.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

I tried to make some sense of my surroundings. I was in a lake, precisely an underground lake. As the one where Bilbo Baggins met Gollum in "The Hobbit". It was quite large with a yet to be discovered color. The searing pain was gone, numbed and discarded in the corner of my mind as I tried to take a measure of my surroundings. Events hurtled across my minds, fascinating as I watched my life story played in front of me. I saw my first quest, Grover and…Annabeth. Our perilous journey to the sea of monsters, my fight with Ares, holding the sky, Zoë Nightshade, the new constellation, huntress running free across the sky, battle of the labyrinth, my first kiss, explosion of princess Andromeda cruise ship, Beckendorf, the dip in the Styx, the battle of Manhattan, Luke's final choice, August 18th. Each event increased the stupid lopsided grin on my face as I remembered the good times. Then the scenes shifted. Those two arrogant brats: Jerric and Alex, Annabeth and Grover's betrayal, my horrid time at camp, the feeling of being used, silence from dad, my mom's death, and then searing pain from the accident, the soft voice…the vision.  
_ Nooooooooooo_…..My mind screamed, desperately trying to dispel the torturous images from my mind as panic began to creep upon me. Fear, dread, loss, desperation, rage, helplessness…..feelings raged through me like a kaleidoscope. This cannot happen. I will not let this happen.  
_ "All you can do is fight and then die."_ The same voice whispered in my mind.  
Startled, I whirled around, trying to pinpoint the source. But there was no one. I was alone. Fear begins to grip me.  
"Who's there?" My voice sounded like a dead frog. If frogs can croak after they die, that is.  
_ "I am the supreme force of this universe. Your creator, the Father of all beings. The adhesive force that joins this universe. I am the devil. I am the angel. I am the manifestation of good and evil. I am the last judge. The last supernatural power and ultimate being. I am Chaos, father of the universe."_  
Theatrical much ha, the sarcastic part of my brain responded. The intelligent part settled with a tiny "oh".  
I heard the thunder boom as the voice laughed.  
_ "I have to admit young hero. You are humorous."_  
"Aaah…thanks. I guess."  
A pin drop silence spread throughout the…..whatever place this was. I tried to be as patient as I could be, rocking back and forth, until the ADHD finally kicked in.  
"so… where am I?"  
_ "You haven't guessed yet. Hmmm, I expected better from the hero of Olympus. You are at center of the world. The meeting point of the five rivers of underworld."_  
I quickly wracked my brains for one of Nico's crazy emo lessons.  
"Styx? Acheron? Cocytus? Phlegethon? Lethe?"  
_ "Hmmm….. So you remember them. You're not that hopeless after all. Yes, Styx-the river of the Brocken and discarded dreams and oaths. The river of pain Acheron, the river of fire Phlegethon, the wailing river Cocytus and the river of forgotten memories Lethe. The five great rivers of underworld, the five greatest challenges of human spirit. The lake where you just bathed is the focal point of these rivers. The beginning where all the rivers meet. Just like I am the beginning of the universe."_  
I trembled at the information. No wonder Nico ever got past Styx and Lethe in his lecture.  
"And I am here because…."  
_ "Why you died of course. You met your end. So I brought you to the beginning. This is the place where I started the creation of your planet. Where I brought forth my daughter Gaia, and where she brought forth Uranus, and from them the Titans. And from them…"_  
"Ya ya I get it. I don't want the entire genealogy."  
"_Hmm… that seems quite a complex word coming from you. Anyways, coming to the point, I brought you here because you intrigue me_."  
"Gee. Thanks. Intriguing someone truly makes my day, really makes me feel appreciated."  
_ "You're quite good at sarcasm"_ the voice smiled…..or so I guessed from its tone. "_Returning to my point, I've always been intrigued by your race. They are …different from all other races throughout the universe. I can't pinpoint the exact differences. It…puzzles me. Your kind never seems to do anything expected. Judging from your nature, you should have butchered yourself to extinction, yet here you are: still alive, still prospering, still moving forward. I don't understand. And it annoys me to no end_."  
"Oh..."  
_ "You have no idea, how annoying it is…"_ the voice continued hurriedly, anxious to get the stuff of its chest I suppose.  
_ "I should be concentrating on the entire universe, but I feel drawn to your civilization. It reached to the point where I can't stand it anymore. So I've decided to end this issue once and for all."_  
"Uh…..sorry to interrupt but doesn't once and for all sounds too sinister?" I asked not liking the way this conversation was going. We were hardly able to defeat the Titans. I don't think I have much stomach for the supreme being of the universe thing.  
_ "Perhaps…..it is for you. Anyways, back to the topic. I've shown you a vision of the future. And from you reaction, you realize it isn't pleasant."_  
I shuddered as fresh wave of panic and fury razed through me.  
"But we can change it, right? I mean that's why you showed it to me, so I can stop it from happening. You know, prevent it from happening and all that." My voice sounded small and scared, even to me.  
"_And how do you plan to change it? You don't know the nature of this threat. I assure you it's not me. What will you do to prevent it? Go to the Olympians? They are arrogant fools who are so desperate for their own destruction that I am surprised that they manage to hang for so long. Especially after having that stupid brat for a king, Odin was far away a better ruler and I'm not even comparing his lightning powers to Thor's. Will they listen to you? Did they listen when you retrieved the lightning bolt? When you saved Thalia's tree? If they had listened they wouldn't have been in the mess they're in. what make you think they will listen to you? They practically ignored you after you fought their war for them. Discarded you away like garbage, to be replaced by arrogant fools like them. Will you go to your centaur? Some teacher he is, mistreating the student who respected him the most. Tell me, young hero, how you will stop the next Ragnarok. The Norse gods met their end and it was kind spectacular and so entertaining you have no idea, maybe it's time for the Greek gods to share the same fate, and whatever happens the earth will still be there…more or less but without any human being_"  
Each word hurtled into me like a ten ton truck. Striking me where it hurts the worst. The voice was right. What can I do to save the future? Does the future even deserved to be saved the vision flashed in front of my eyes again. I shuddered. No. no matter how messed up this world is, it doesn't deserve that fate. It's worthy to be saved.  
"_Maybe, maybe so tell me hero what will you do now. You can't go to the Olympians or to another god from a different mythology. You can't go to your precious camp. What will you do_?"  
I had no answer to that.  
"_Hmmm. I'll give you a chance, young hero. Do what you think is the best to do. Try what you want to try. Let this be another journey for you. You are the beginning. See this through to the end. In your struggle lies my answer Perseus Jackson. I give you a chance. Change the future_."  
Thunder boomed. Earth quaked causing ripples to form across the calm waters of the lake. There was a bright flash of light. A sword, a bow and a shield appeared. Examining them closely, I observed that they were made of same materials, a transparent metal, like fragile glass. The weapons looked so delicate and fragile, like they would shatter at the slightest touch.  
"_They are made of the void metal, that which can absorb everything. They will keep you alive. See you through the end that is. Keep you alive till I get my answers_."  
While looking at the weapons, an idea took form in my mind. First taking the sword, I walked slowly to the colorless Lethe. The river brimming with the memories of the greatest heroes of the ages, as they bathed in the river to prepare for the rebirth. The sword soaked up the heroic memories shining bright white with power. Next I picked the bow, and dipped it in Phlegethon, the river of fire. The bow turned bright red, and then crimson as the fire rushed through the celestial weapon. Next I took the heavy shield and dipped it in Acheron the river of pain, and watched fascinated as the shield turned golden.  
"_Hmmm. Interesting, maybe I underestimated you. What will you do now?_"  
I took a deep breath. I will change the future. Steeling my resolve, I said in a determined voice "lead me to the surface. I will fight for the future and flame of the humankind. If we are destined to fall, then we will go down fighting"  
The voice laughed with anticipation as a darkness surrounded me. My mind blanked out. The last thing I heard was a soft whisper.  
"_I will be watching you hero_"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

When I opened my eyes, I found myself in Disneyland. Yeah right, well it looks like the supernatural divinity has a sense of humor.  
"_I heard that_."  
I smiled. And for the time since waking up, looked at myself in the Mickey Mouse mirror, and then grimaced. My clothes were torn and burned in many places. The threads still sticking together were covered in blood and muck. My hair was dirty and messy as usual, my face was covered with slime and mud. All my cuts and bruises were completely healed, at least one good thing in the whole ordeal. This reminded me of something.  
"Do I still have the curse of Achilles?"  
"_No. you lost the curse the moment you lost your connection with your mortal point. Besides I can't afford to have you running around with that baring weak spot. I want you to live long enough. Oh just for your Intel, you might have some problem moving your body sometimes if under pressure till your soul and body will completely fuse as your original body was…well you know how you died, it's just a copy of it_"  
"Well thanks, I will try to remember about it but I didn't know it was possible to clone a body without it having a soul."

"_Just remember that you are my source of entertainment and of course that I won't interfere if something goes wrong just as it was with your dear Olympians". _

"Thanks. I feel loved; at least I'm entertaining to someone. And here I thought I went out of fashion decades ago."  
The voice chuckled.  
"So…..the Disney land huh. Never figured out you to be a Mickey fan, or is it Donald duck."  
"_Very funny, though I like the "Power Rangers". They're hilarious. This was just a random destination, one out of many billions._"  
Shaking my head slightly, I took a deep breath and entered.  
Now, I am from a very poor family. I've always dreamt of this place when I was a kid, like a gazillion years ago. And to tell the truth, it surpassed all of my wildest expectations. The rides were awesome and the aromas from cafes painfully reminded me that last time I ate was three hours before my accident. A moment of epiphany; nothing is more torturous than running loose in Disneyland completely broke. Where ever I go the rides would taunt me mockingly. The candies and pastries from the showcases teased my hungry stomach. The joyful scream of thousands of crazy kids coming from the awesome rides was too much for me to bear. Holding my ears, I ran to one of the quieter sections, quieter than the rest at least. Feeling self-conscious under the glares of the passersby, I ambled towards what looked like a lonely alley from one of the 60s movies. There I saw a gang of richly dressed teenagers hovering over a little girl. From where I was, I could easily see tears flowing from the little girls eyes. I gritted my teeth. I hate bullies. All my life I've been bullied by others. Be it smelly Gabe, the gods or the Titans. I've also learned how to deal with such jerks. I felt the voice tense in anticipation. I sauntered towards them, showing no hurry. The jerks were so engrossed in bullying the little child that they didn't notice me approach them.  
"Aww, come on kiddo. Not very lucky are you. You little cheat"  
"what happened you little cheat. Can't get away now huh."  
"Tell us how you managed to fool the security. Must be quite talented be so good at such young age."  
"We're your friends darling. You wouldn't wanna mess with us would ya"  
At this the girl let out a terrified squeak. Taking that as my cue, I grabbed the biggest one and bashed his head in the wall. Before the others could process what was happening, I grabbed another one and twisted his arm so hard that the bone broke. Bully no 3 came to me arms rose. Using the flat of my palm, I hit him on the nose, driving his nose into the brain. The rest fled in panic. Glaring at the injured three, I said in my most threatening voice, "Leave now!"  
The fled away with terrified yelps. Satisfied I turned my gaze to the little child, who was staring at me with large brown eyes wearing an awed expression. She was a tiny creature, with long brown hair which reached her waist, and small innocent pale tear streaked face. She opened her mouth, and then closed it again. She looked so comical that I had to laugh. I smiled reassuringly at her and said, "Hello! My name is Percy Jackson."  
She startled at my words, and then locked her big brown eyes on mine. Her eyes were deep, deeper than ocean. They had a timeless quality about them that filled my heart with dread. The more I looked, more ancient she seemed. Yet her face maintained that innocence characterized to normal 8 years old kids though this didn't calm my suspicions. She took a deep breath and said in a goofy, carefree tone.  
"He…he…l...lo Percy. I'm Aer, goddess of the mist. But you're supposed to be dead, how come you're alive?"  
Now, I've seen a lot of strange things in my life and have learned not to question the absurdity of the things, but this little nymphet claiming she to be goddess stumped me. I stared at her ridiculously.  
"Come again!"  
She rolled her eyes, and then gave me a wide toothy smile "I'm Aer, goddess of the mist. And from now on you're my best friend in the whole world...Well till you die again?"  
I stared at her as if she'd said-mu name is Darth Vadaar and I'm gonna play Barbie with Buffy the vampire slayer.  
The voice chuckled inside my head. That brought me back to my senses.  
"Hold on! Time out! Whoa! What do you mean best friend. And if you are a goddess, how come you allowed those jerks to bully you."  
The girl turned away shyly from me and mumbled, "I wanted to make friends. I don't have any friends. And I don't know how to fight."  
She looked so sad and forlorn, that rushed up to her and gave her a big hug. She sniffled, and then looked up at me with pleading eyes, "Will you be my friend? Please? And protect me? I am a very weak goddess. I can't even assume my true form. Will you let me come with you? Please?" Her voice broke at the last please.

Looking at her big brown eyes, I softened and said, "Sure! Why not?" And that turned out to be the biggest mistake of my life.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

I had always thought that little girls were adorable. That was before meeting Aer. Annabeth and the others at camp always called me annoying. Maybe, they should meet goddess of mist. She would definitely change their opinion on that. Aer opened her mouth at exactly 10:15 pm. And continued talking for the rest 47hrs 56 minutes and 47 seconds (I've been counting). Not to mention the fact that she was a brat.  
"Why do we have to walk? Why do we have to eat this muck? Why do we have to be dirty? Why can't we visit the rides? Why are you so dirty? Why do you stink? Where are we going? Are we there yet? Why are we going there? Why is that man ugly? Why doesn't he exercise, he's so fat…."  
These were the things I had to put up for the first 6 hours. Then talk changed to some obscure female topic I couldn't even hope to comprehend. I would have left her then and there but the voice counseled against it.  
"_She's a goddess. She knows things that you don't. Her knowledge will keep you alive. Also she could manipulate the mist so that no one could recognize you. Plus she would be helpful in certain unwanted situations_."  
That was at the beginning. Now both the voice and I were suffering.  
"_Why won't she stop? She's giving me a headache. And I'm not supposed to have headaches_." It whined.  
"_She's nervous and elated. My mum was also like that_." Thinking about my mum always made me sad. I wondered if she was In Elysium. She would have liked it there. My face broke into a grin.  
"What kind of dork are you? I'm calling you dirty and stinking and you are smiling? Why are you smiling?"  
I sighed. "First of all, I am dirty and I am stinking. That's because I haven't got a chance to wash myself properly. And second, aren't you tired yet. You've been going on and on and on. Why don't you take some rest?"  
She snorted. "Ya right! So that you can slip off leaving me alone again. Sorry mister, I'm coming with you. And I'm a goddess. I don't need sleep."  
"_Perfect! Now she'll go on forever_" the voice groaned.  
Gritting my teeth, I managed to control my irritation and said in my most persuading tone, "Aer, since you're a goddess, can you arrange a sort of safe accommodations for us? I really am not fond of moving around looking like a mud monster. And can you make sure that I don't look like I used to, I don't wanna be recognized"  
"ha! Piece of cake."  
Hence we found ourselves in a five star hotel suite, complete with a snack bar and a Jacuzzi. The site of an indoor swimming pool lightened my mood considerably and for a while Aer and here nonstop babble was bearable. As I relaxed in the warm water, my thoughts drifted to my mom and step dad, my brother Tyson, Rachel, Nico, Clarisse and all those who stood up for me during that horrid time. As I drifted deep in the pool, Aer's voice slowed down to the background level and I enjoyed myself for the first time in many months.

_**Mount Olympus, winter's solstice**_.  
Hades watched in boredom as his sister Hera and Poseidon argued among themselves again. Apparently Hera had kidnapped Poseidon's brat Jerric and sent him to the Roman camp while taking his memories, the same thing she'd also done to Jupiter's kid Jason. Hades flickered to his Roman form and then back to Greek.  
"….how dare you mess with my child without my permission…"  
"…it was necessary…camps must uni…."  
Hades did his best to tune out the conversation. Unlike him all his siblings and nephews and nieces were following the conversation as if their life depended on it. And it probably did. Only Apollo and Hermes looked indifferent. Where Apollo looked lost with a bleak expression on his face, Hermes was trying to calm his brother. Hmmm….. Must be something serious since Apollo isn't joking around, trying to lighten the mood thought Hades. Hades thoughts then shifted to his son. Nico had taken Percy Jackson's death very badly and blamed himself for his demise. Hades temper flared "_that treacherous horse and those selfish brats. Because of them, Olympus had lost the greatest hero of the century. His own brother Poseidon was also to blame for ignoring his son to that pompous fool of a kelp head"_. And Hades had already sworn on the Styx to punish the daughter of Athena with the worst torture underworld had to offer. Still, that doesn't erase the fact that Percy Jackson was gone and only person concerned about the fact was himself, Hermes, Apollo and strangely enough Artemis. The maiden goddess doesn't hate Poseidon's and Zeus's new kids like himself Apollo and Hermes but she still respected Perseus enough to be angry at the campers at their treatment of the hero of Olympus. And now they were in a mess again and there was no Perseus to save the day. Mulling over such dark thoughts, Hades tuned himself completely out of the meeting.  
Hades was brought back to reality by a soft tugging at his robes. Looking down he saw Apollo and Hermes standing in their human form in front of him. Rest of the council members had gone. The meeting was over.  
"Uncle Can I talk to you for a second?" Apollo asked meekly. His expression was serious. Hades nodded. Taking a deep breath, Apollo continued, "I don't like this uncle". I nodded again, "Hera's plan was bound to fail".

Apollo shook his head, "no uncle! There's nothing wrong with the plan. It's the hero that's wrong. The brat Jerric isn't the right choice. He's power hungry and selfish. He will cause further turbulence in the already fragile alliance, he'll mess everything up".  
Hades frowned. "What do you suggest?"  
Apollo looked at Hermes at support who nodded at him. Gathering his courage, Apollo looked at his uncle square in the eyes and said, "We need the true hero of Olympus. We need _Perseus Jackson_."  
Before Hades could respond, Apollo hurriedly continued, "It's not that you have to break the ancient laws. The gates of death are already open. All we need is to persuade Perseus to come back and help us."  
Hades took deep breaths trying to control his temper, "do you HAVE ANY IDEA HOW HARD I HAVE TO TRY TO PREVENT FURTHER SOULS FROM ESCAPING! NOW YOU WANT ME TO…"  
"Uncle, listen to us. Gaia is much bigger threat than the Titans. Are you comfortable in resting you future in Alex and Jerric's hands?"  
Hades shifted uneasily. "Even if I agree, which I'm not, why would he help us? We threw him away like trash after he won the war for us. He considers the entire camp his enemy and forced to leave. He lost his mother and step father and his real father, my brother is acting like a jerk. Why would he help us?"  
Hermes looked at Hades squarely in the eye and replied, "Because he's a hero. And loyalty is his fatal flaw. He wouldn't let the world burn just because of some petty differences he had with other campers. If we can manage to persuade him that the threat is indeed serious, he will come."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 **

4 months after the winter's solstice.  
Apollo was in a very depressing mood. 4 months had passed since they found that _Perseus Jackson_'s soul was missing from Elysium. 4 months since the quest for his soul was launched. And after 4 months there hasn't been even a minuscule trail of him. Apollo had personally chosen and instructed Thalia, Nico and Clarisse daughter of Ares to search for him. But even the son of Hades was stumped. He just disappeared from the face of the earth. Even his oracle was unable to find him. It's as if someone or something was shielding him. But Apollo couldn't figure out whom or what could be powerful enough to confuse even his oracle. Meanwhile, Hera's plan was slowly turning into a catastrophe. Even now, Jason Grace was on a quest to save Hera and in his absence, that wretched daughter of Zeus, Alex, was already poisoning the campers mind against Jason and his friends. At this rate even if Jason succeeds in saving Hera, he stills wouldn't be accepted at the camp. Especially since that cursed daughter of Athena was backing Alex. Apollo cursed. The way things are looking now, he didn't think that Jason would succeed. He has too much of his father in him. And because of Zeus's stupid paranoia, none of the gods could help him. Apollo had no love for queen of heavens but her presence was necessary to make sure gods stay united. On the other hand, the son of Poseidon wasn't faring well at the Roman camp. Already he was captured and imprisoned because of his arrogance and cockiness. The Roman demigods were already worried sick for their lost leader. And this fool was making the situation more complicated and tense. How Hera could believe that arrogant and pompous fool could become leader of the Romans, he didn't know. So far he wasn't helping his situation. Apollo shuddered at the thought of two camps meeting under the present circumstances. They would annihilate each others, leaving Olympus naked bare to the giants and Gaia. If only Percy could be found…

Perseus Jackson on the other hand was having a very hard time. The monsters were reforming instantaneously, instead of going back to Tartarus. So far he had two gorgons, a pack of hellhounds, those cursed wolf men(lycanthropes), a dozen empoussas, a drakon, a score of Laistrygonian giants and one and only, the minotaur on his scent.  
"_Quite an impressing gathering, don't you think?_" the voice chuckled.  
"SHUT UP!" Percy roared.  
"WHA…what?" Aer blinked timidly. Percy cursed. He was already feeling guilty for the tongue lashing he had given to the goddess earlier. She had been really quite since then, which was making Percy uncomfortable. In the past 4 months, he had become used to the goddess's mindless constant chatter. Her well being quite worried him. She was really hurt. But if it wasn't for her, they wouldn't have been chased by an army of monsters. She just had to taunt and laugh at every monster from LA to Chicago and now they were on the run. Sometimes, Percy had trouble believing her as a goddess. She looked and behaved just like a 8 years old girl, a very annoying and irritating 8 years old girl. And when she called the Minotaur an 'ugly pony', making him really pissed off, Percy had snapped and given the child goddess a very thorough tongue lashing. Since then the goddess was quite.  
"Look I'm really sorry for earlier. It's just that I promised to protect you and you aren't making my job any easier and….did you hear that?"  
"It's probably a firecracker." Goddess shrugged.  
"AER WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF CHICAGO. WHERE THE HADES DO YOU EXPECT FIRECRACKERS HERE" Before Percy could continue, a loud blast echoed through the busy streets of Chicago. Immediately Percy began to run towards the source, leaving a startled goddess to follow after him. Turning a sharp corner, Percy finally reached the scene of crime. It was multistory shopping complex, burning and rocking with explosions. Even through the thick smoke Percy could see an old lady on the third floor, shrieking, trying to protect herself from the flames. Suddenly, ground rumbled and a huge familiar bronze dragon erupted from the ground carrying what looked like three persons on its back. For a minute, Percy hoped that they would save the old lady. But they fled the building as if the furies of Hades were themselves after them. Percy cursed. Unable to see the plight of an old lady, he launched himself at the building. Breaking through the ground floor display glass, Percy grabbed a pack of bottled water, hurriedly pouring all of it over him, hoping against hope he wasn't too late. He could already feel the heat, like pin pricks on his skin. By the time he reached the third floor, his clothes were completely burnt baring his upper torso to the heat. Ignoring the searing pain in his body, he grabbed the lady, covered her with the '50% discount banner' and charged towards the windows. The collision shook him, and he could feel the bones break, but thankfully, his momentum was just enough to allow them to escape, as he twisted in the midair and landed on his back shielding the women from the impact. Percy managed to look up, made sure the women was alright before blissfully blacking out.  
Aer watched in horror as she watched Percy run into the burning building. She'd become really scared when she saw the bronze dragon, but all the relief she felt at the dragon leaving was short lived as she saw Percy run into the building, leaving her to gnaw her nails in worry. Just when she was about to give up hope, she saw Percy clutching the women crashing out of the third floor window and falling on his back. Aer ran to his rescue as the old women managed to stand up her feet, looking at the Percy's still form with an awed expression. Aer gently cradled his head in her arm and fed him some ambrosia squares. Then, after making sure he swallowed them properly, she looked at the old women curiously.  
"WH…who is he? Will he live? Is he all right?" the women stuttered.  
At this Percy started coughing and spluttering. Aer quickly steadied him up, thumping his back soothingly, as he answered calmly, "My name is Percy Jackson. And you are?"  
The women startled at the name. She still looked shocked. Then finally calming herself she replied in a soothing and gentle voice, "thank you Percy Jackson for saving my life. My name is Medea."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

That night Percy had a frightening dream. In his dreams he was at an old burnt mansion completely surrounded by…wolves. Big wolves the size of a car with dull shaggy fur. They all seem to be guarding something. Behind them was an earthen cave. Inside that cave was an old women in … wait was that goatskin? Yup! Goatskin and a wand with a lotus. And the crazy thing was she was looking right at me.  
"Who are you hero?" an annoyingly familiar voice echoed through my mind. I struggled to remember her. Surely even I couldn't forget an old woman with a lotus wand, especially if she was covered in goatskin.  
"Err….do I know you? You sound familiar."  
"First tell me, are you a Greek or a Roman?"  
Percy thought for a while.  
"I'm American. Yup! Definitely American."  
The women laughed, though it sounded forced and weak.  
"I meant your parentage hero. Is it Greek or ro...?"  
She was interrupted by a sleepy chuckle. Another woman appears, covered in what seemed to be….mud. She had sleepy expression on her face, as if she was in a deep sleep and was desperately fighting against her dropping eyelids.  
"You heroes have an irritating habit of dropping where you aren't supposed to come in your dreams. Perhaps a lesson is in order. I would like to introduce you to my servant…Kyrios." she announced grandly. The goatskin women grasped, "wake up hero, wake up or you'll die."  
"Too late for that" announced the sleepy women cheerily, "another one of those pesky hero down."  
The beast in front of Percy was by far the strangest he had ever seen. It had head and body of a dragon with bronze celestial bronze wings that gleamed wickedly in dim light. And in his forelegs he was holding a 10 foot long scimitar and a huge Spartan shield. Its eyes were black abyss, blacker than Tartarus; black fire was coming out of his mouth. Over all, a very frightening view. Gulping quietly, I readied my sword and shield.  
The sleepy women laughed.  
"This is your worst nightmare hero. Kyrios, the demon of dreams. He's been undefeated since the beginning of time. Not even my siblings could stand up to him. What chance do you have, you puny hero."

Now Percy was used to big scary monsters to say the least. But the….thing in front of him was way out of their league. Smirking, it vanished in thin air as he shrieked in pain. A deep gash appeared on his shoulder as the thing reappeared behind him. Gritting his teeth, he charged, only to meet thin air as another deep gash appeared on his thigh. He winced in pain. Yelling in rage, he began to swing his sword and shield madly to no avail of course. Whenever he would lift his hand to strike, it would disappear. Gashes appeared all over his body as he began to lose strength and blood. His ADHD kicked into effect. He was injured and painfully aware of his surroundings. He could feel a very light shadow, almost a slight disturbance in the air whenever a gash appears on his body. He also observed that no matter how quick he moved he was unable to attack it. So offence was out of question. He concentrated on defense. He closed his eyes and concentrated. The moment He felt that disturbance, to his right, he raised his shield. A deafening CLANG ran throughout the room. Its sword rebounded as it struck Percy's shield and sword. The big bad wolves were completely unaware of the entire battle. The goatskin women's jaw was open in awe as the sleepy woman stopped smiling. His mind went on autopilot. His eyes were closed. He realized they were useless in this battle. He was purely operating on feelings, as he raised his sword, sometimes shield or both to defend himself. The thing was amazingly quick and it took all five years of Percy's training to barely hold against it. Both women watched the battle as if in a trance. Suddenly he felt a burning sensation in his throat as he woke up grasping for fresh air.  
Aer and the old woman he saved earlier, what was her name? Medea! were hovering over him. Seeing him awake, Aer rushed into a bone crushing hug.  
"Aer….can't…breath…..ri bs… …br oke n… ...o uch ."  
Aer released him as quickly, than stared at his bloody body. His clothes were torn and his body was covered with deep gashes.  
"How….I….. You…."  
Her mouth opened and closed in quick succession, like drowning fish, while Medea looked at him with concern. Percy quickly relayed his dream to them. Aer gaped at him dumbstruck while Medea was staring at him as if he'd grown horns and fangs.  
"What? You know what they were talking about?"  
Aer hesitatingly glanced at Medea, and then looked back at Percy, "Percy, the women in goatskin was Juno, Roman counterpart of Hera and the sleepy woman was Gaia, mother earth." She said squeaking. Oh right! She was a renegade goddess. Of course she was afraid of Hera.  
"What about that scary thing? That Kyrios guy."  
Both women shrugged their shoulders but the voice answered him back.  
"_Kyrios was son of Erebus. He's a creature of two dimensions. Whatever wounds your dream self took, you acquired them in reality. If he'd managed to kill you in you in your dreams, you'd be dead for real. He can only be harmed if he's in your dimension. That's why he's undefeated. He'd devoured countless heroes and others innocents creatures. His return is indeed disturbing. I was about to interfere but you handled the situation nicely_."  
"What! I was barely able to hold myself against him"  
"_Hero. No one in seven thousand eons have been able to barely hold against him except me. I didn't thought it was even possible. But you gave him an unexpected setback. He will think twice before attacking you. You will meet, mark my words. But your immediate concern is Hera. She's in trouble. Will you help her_?"  
As Percy thought about it, Medea cleared her throat and looked at Percy.  
"As I said before: thank you for saving my life. You are a rare hero Percy Jackson. I've never met another hero like you before. I am in your debt. Perhaps I'll get a chance to pay you back. But for now, please accept a small gift." She pressed a small vial in my hands. "It's elixir of life. It'll save your life, heal anything as long as the heart is beating. It can bring back even a dying person to life as long as his heart is beating of course. I must be going now. Till we meet again Percy Jackson. Farewell. May fates be kind on you?" With that she vanished into thin air.  
"Well that was abrupt." Aer punched him in the guts. "Percy! Be nice. Do you know how rare elixir of life is? It's really priceless. It's said that a really clever person can bring back someone from dead with a single drop. I wonder how she managed to get hold of such a large amount." She blanked out, wondering various possibilities of using the elixir.  
Percy broke into her thoughts. "Hera". Aer's expression became tortured, "do we have to? Does she even deserve saving?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

After lot of arguing, shouting, tantrums and clawing (Percy didn't knew that 8 old goddesses can have such sharp nails nor they're so good at clawing faces), they finally decided to seek out Nereus, the old man of the sea. Sensing the emergency, Percy mist travelled with the goddess to the bay of San Francisco area. Aer shrouded him in a thick layer of mist and using stealth courtesy a Hunter of Artemis, he managed to sneak upon the old man unaware. After fighting futilely for a while, the rather evil Santa Clauss look alike gave up.  
"Tell me how I can save Hera!" Percy asked in a menacing tone but Nereus gave him a rather toothy grin and answered "Go to mount Diablo" and with a poof he vanished.  
"Gahh! I hate immortals" he growled then looking bat Aer's crestfallen look added hastily, "Except for you of course Aer. You're my friend."  
So without further ado they the long hike to mount Diablo, partly because Percy didn't had any money for taxi and Aer refused to help, still miffed about his last comment and partly because he wasn't anxious to face whatever was awaiting him at that accursed peak. He was still trying to calm himself after the Kyrios incident.  
The road was hard-packed dirt. No reason at all it should have been soft, but already Percy's shoes were starting to sink. Gaea was messing with them. Drifting across the summit was a plume of smoke. From a distance, Percy had thought it was a cloud, but it wasn't. Something was burning there. By the time Percy reached the summit fighting was already at full force. Percy saw a haggard looking man tied and bleeding profusely and pretty girl trying to free him. A boy with an elven face was fighting what looked like trolls made up of stones. "The earthborn" Aer whispered in awe. A young blonde boy was fighting what looked like a huge giant so horrible that Percy had to force himself to look at him again. To start with, he was thirty feet tall—easily as tall as the treetops. From the waist up, the giant appeared humanoid, his muscular chest clad in bronze armor, decorated with flame designs. His arms were completely ripped. Each of his biceps was bigger than Aer. His skin was bronze but sooty with ash. His face was crudely shaped, like a half-finished clay figure, but his eyes glowed white, and his hair was matted in shaggy dreadlocks down to his shoulders, braided with bones.  
From the waist down, he was even more terrifying. His legs were scaly green, with claws instead of feet—like the forelegs of a dragon. In his hand, he held a spear the size of a flagpole. Percy commended the boy for his courage to fight that monster but he was clearly struggling to hold his own. Meanwhile, the elven boy and the pretty girl were having problems of their own. Percy debated with himself for a while then summoned his bow and tossed it to Aer and said "Help them!" With that, he charged at the giant.  
Hearing his cry, the giant swatted the blond boy aside and prepared his spear. As soon as he reached the giant, Percy hit a baseball slide, summoning his sword and slashed with all his might at the giant's ankle. With a roar that echoed throughout the San Francisco valley, the giant fell to his knees. Without losing a moment, Percy summoned his shield and bashed it at the giant's head with all his might and kept bashing it repeatedly till a massive pool of golden ichor formed at his feet. Yelling in pain, the giant swung his arms and Percy crashed into the girl. "Sorry" he said hastily and rushed back into the fight. The blond boy meanwhile had recovered from his fall and was battling the giant with a golden javelin. Percy watched as the giant swung his massive spear and snapped the javelin in half causing a huge shockwave to erupt and push both the warriors apart. Taking his cue, Percy slashed at the giant legs from behind and crashed his shield on his knee cap. The giant roared in pain. Percy went into full battle mode and attacked the giant relentlessly as the blond boy watched him in awe. The giant desperately lunged at him. Percy dodged and the giant fell upon the girl standing behind Percy. The giant yelled in triumph and was about to crush the girl when the blond boy climbed the giant's back and stabbed him with his broken javelin. As soon as he stabbed him, a huge lightning bolt stuck the giant and he began to disintegrate. He fixed me and the blond boy with a look of hatred. "You've won nothing, demigods. My brothers are rising, and they are ten times as strong as I. We will destroy the god sat their roots! You will die, and Olympus will die with—" before he could finish, Percy swung his sword. There was a brief flash of light and the giant vanished. The blond boy rushed immediately to the girl who had passed out earlier and for the moment Percy was alone.  
He stared at his blade in awe and whispered, "You deserve a name. You shall aid me in my quest to save mankind and rebel against the traitors and monsters who seek to destroy it. I shall name thee REBELLION." The blade glowed dark red for a moment and blood red words appeared on the blade, marking its name in the history, and REBELLION shone with a deadly red gleam in the hand of its master. Percy was interrupted in his thoughts as he watched the blonde boy, the pretty girl with kaleidoscopic eyes, and the boy with the elven face approached him. He saw Aer shuffling closer to him, clutching the bow tightly as if she expected to use it at any moment. Without taking his gaze from the approaching figures, Percy whispered to Aer from the corner of his mouth,

"Use the mist to hide yours and mine features. And let me do the talking."

The blond boy reached him first, taking out his hand, said "Hi, my name is Jason Grace. She is Piper Mclean" he said pointing to the pretty girl who waved awkwardly at him, "and the annoying boy is Leo Valdez." He said pointing to the elven boy who glared at his friend in response. Percy studied each of them carefully. He didn't remember seeing any of them at the camp, which meant they were new. Coming to a silent decision he shook Jason's hand replied,

"My name is…..Hunter. And this is my _little_ sister Arya". Jason smiled at Aer and then looking at me gravely said,

"Look, you don't really know us but…..we are on a quest to save Hera, queen of heavens and we could use all the help we get. Will you help us?"

Ignoring Piper's pleading expression Percy looked at Aer. Whatever may happen, they were together into this and he didn't want to force his decisions on Aer. Aer looked at Percy's serious expression and realized that Percy was actually giving her an option. No one has ever asked her for her opinion in her entire immortal life. True, Aer was scared of Hera, but she didn't want to disappoint Percy, so she nodded. Percy relaxed. Then facing Jason, who watched their exchange quizzingly, he nodded his assent, "yes. We will help you".


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Percy POV  
Piper helped her father as Jason and Leo explained the situation to me. They told me about the rise of Gaia and the beginnings of the second great prophesy. The giant Enceladus, (he reminded me painfully of Grover and his enchiladas fondness) had warned about his brothers and bunch of other such ugly creatures definitely wasn't a good thing. Piper charmspoke a helicopter pilot to drop her father with the crazy satyr (so different from Grover) and with Leo at the wheels, we finally made our way to the wolf house. On the way, Aer filled me about the Roman demigods as the others were distracted, how Jason was the son of Jupiter, Roman equivalent of Zeus. This reminded me of the first great prophecy and I couldn't help wondering if Jason were to the hero of that prophesy, maybe then he wouldn't be in this mess. He sighed heavily. There was no use lamenting in the past. He had to live in the present. Aer also told me the stories of the first giant wars and I finally realized Hera's plight. Even though she was my least favorite goddess, I couldn't help but pity her. She was the second goddess I was going to rescue.

When we reached the wolf house, fighting was already in full swing. Jason had warned me about the Hunters presence; still I felt a pang in my heart as I watched Thalia fighting huge man sized wolves. Though I had managed to convince myself that she doesn't care about me, I still missed her. Watching her fighting for her life reminded me of old times. As soon as we landed, Jason and I charged at the enemies while he sent Leo and Piper to free Hera from her prison. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Aer shooting at the wolves and the huge troll creatures. She was very good with that bow, while I slashed, ducked, stabbed and sliced with abandon. I saw Hera's eyes or Juno's grow wide with recognition as she saw me entering the battle. Just when we were about to overcome the defenders, I saw all the Hunters freeze and Aer give a frightened yelp and vanish in thin air. The women who appeared in front of me was blue. I mean she was dressed in blue clothes and her skin had a tinge of blue in it and she was pretty in an I-am-super-evil-and-going-to-crush-you-to -de ath kind of way. Seeing her Jason winced and Leo narrowed her eyes.  
"Khione what are you doing here"  
I watched in amazement as I heard the super evil icy cold goddess confess of tricking Hera and Zeus into locking down Olympus plotting to kill Jason and company on the way. I stifled a laugh as I heard Leo calling her hot. This was one boy I am destined to get along with, I thought. Suddenly the earth rumbled and out came the most hideous and repulsive giant I had ever seen in my entire life and that was after seeing the enchiladas dude. He was so tall that he made Enceladus look like a deformed dwarf. His body was ripped and he was cracking his joints in a disgusting kind of way.  
"I am Porphyrion, the king of giants. Are you Ares or Hermes? Doesn't matter, you will make a nice snack."  
"I am Jason Grace, son of Jupiter. And I am here to kill you!" Jason yelled.  
Those were certainly brave words considering that he was unarmed. I wouldn't have managed such bravado if I were in his place. The ugly giant laughed.  
"So…..Zeus sent his son as a peace offering. It will not work demigod, I would still destroy him. I shall take his throne and his wife. In case she doesn't consent, the earth shall absorb her."  
I felt a pang of sympathy for Hera. Spending lifetime with this ugly creature was certainly not in my to-do-in-the-century list. Even though I hated her, I wouldn't leave her behind for such torture. Hera gave a very Hera like answer, "in your dreams monster. I would never submit to the likes of you!"

The giant laughed again. "Enough delaying! Come now is the time of boast! I am Porphyrion! King of giants. Born to defeat Zeus and rule this world. I almost defeated him last time I faced him and this time I will not fail." Wow this guy has some serious attitude problems. Seriously, when will these bad guys learn that they are not wanted? You would think crushed under the mountain would give them a pretty good idea but no! They have to rise again and again just to annoy Percy Jackson. The voice chuckled inside my head.  
"_Yes hero. They arise just because they don't want Percy Jackson to live peacefully. They simply love it when you have to fight for your life and entire mankind. They think it's hilarious, just like Me_." it chuckled again.  
Great, if think your life is annoying, try having eons old all supreme creator all the time in your head, reading all your private thoughts. I wonder if there is a court for supernatural beings. Maybe I can file a case of intrusion of privacy.  
"_I wouldn't work hero, since I will be both the accused and the judge. I would say it would be pretty hopeless for you._"  
Grumbling I stumbled out of my stupor as I heard Jason boast his accomplishments. I couldn't help impressed. He is better hero than me. Why don't you go and annoy him for a change. I thought.  
"_Na! He just killed, like one Titan, while you fought four._"  
"I didn't beat anyone on my own though." I thought back. "Artemis tricked Atlas. I didn't beat Iapetus, just doused him in Lethe. And it was the satyrs who imprisoned Hyperion. And it was Luke who defeated Kronos in the end, not me."  
"_See! You're humble and you did play a major rule in all those four fights. Stop being so self conscious. And besides, you are funnier than him._"  
"So you're never gonna leave me alone are you", I grumbled.

"_Not in this lifetime hero_", voice chuckled again.

I was brought back to the present by the giant's voice booming throughout the hall, "KYRIOS! DESTROY THESE FOOLISH MORTALS." And sure enough, there was my long lost friend the dragon man. Before I could raise my shield, I felt a deep gash in my abdomen. Damn! This is going to be painful. From the corner of my eye, I saw Jason charge at the giant bare fisted. Definitely brave or insane, I was sure he couldn't last more than a few minutes. Meanwhile I was in no condition to help as the dragon man was using me as a practice dummy. Gritting my teeth in pain I tried to remember what the voice told me. It can only be hurt when it's in this dimension. That means it's physical when he's in this dimension. That's when he attacks me. Yes! Immediately I changed my fighting style. I went to an auto defense mode as I felt his strikes, blocked by my shield. Slowly I began to recognize a pattern. Suddenly I had a crazy idea. As soon as I felt its presence coming to attack me, I swung my shield. The dragon man hissed and jumped far across the room. Steeling my thundering heart, I put on my best arrogant, annoying expression and taunted, "Come to daddy!" It worked. The beast gave a huge bellow and charged me. I waited as long as I can and at the last moment rolled at the side. With speed that could put Apollo's sun chariot to shame, I readied my sword and lunged at the barely visible blade, aiming just bellow it, Rebellion almost kissing the flat under side of my enemy's knife slicing through its cloak and piercing the skin, going smoothly hilt deep into its unprotected chest. The beast's eyes bulged, them with a huge roar, it vanished. I saw Hera's eyes wide open with shock and disbelief. Before I could feel smug about my victory, I saw the giant throw Jason at the far wall like a ragdoll. Judging his plight, I charged at the giant.

Taking the advantage of his stunned expression I hit another baseball slid and swung heavily at the giant's kneecap. Just like Enceladus, the ugly too fell on his knees. Quickly getting up, I began my deadly dance. I had learned my lesson from fighting Enceladus, so instead of going for heavy blows, I concentrated on my speed and quick strikes, light enough for the giant to ignore them but deep enough to draw blood. Sure enough, the ugly was so enraged that he didn't notice the increasing amount of bruises accumulating on his body and growing pool of ichor at his feet. Enraged, he tried to swat me with his spear, but I was too quick. My ADHD was in full battle mode. I saw, as I sliced cleanly at the giants back, Jason trying to sneak up on him holding broken chair leg. Leo and Piper were doing gods know what and Hera was still staring at me as if I was a little green Martian who had decided to invade the earth. While observing all this, I continued my little dance of stab-the-ugly. Behind me I heard Leo's triumphed yell and instantly knew Hera's cage was broken, but that thick headed goddess was still staring at our fight transfixed. I needed to do something to bring her back to reality. Quickly stepping back, I threw my shield at the giant, which hit him full in the stomach, knocking the breath out of him. Then I swung my sword like a gunslinger in old western cowboy's movies in deadly arcs as my blade slashed into the giant's face like an electrical hacksaw, severely scarring his already ugly face. Funny, it actually made him look a bit nicer, a bit more intimidating, with a large scar starting from his right temple, ending at his left jaw, as if someone tried to sculpt his face with a chisel. His roar of agony brought Hera back to earth, and with a loud cry, she hurled herself out of her cage, turning into a huge supernova of pure rage and energy. I hurriedly closed my eye, knowing too well what would happen if I do otherwise. Finally when I opened my eyes, all the monsters were destroyed and the Hunters unfrozen. Thalia rushed to check up on Jason, who was knocked out when the giant fed in panic. Meanwhile the other Hunters, who watched both the fights even though they were frozen (how, I do not know), immediately surrounded me drawing their bow, glaring at me in suspicion.  
"STOP!" Hera's voice rang throughout the hall. "This hero had saved my life. You WILL NOT HARM OR THREATEN HIM".  
Wow, I thought. Hera was actually standing up for me. Who knew she was capable of doing it. I have to admit, it did felt kinda nice. Maybe I should save super evil goddess often enough.  
"Who are you hero? What is your parentage?" Hera's voice brought me back to reality. As I stuttered, wondering how will I be able to get out of this one when the voice whispered in my ear.  
"My name is Hunter. My parentage is unknown. I ran away from camp half blood because I didn't want to spend the rest of my life as a nobody."  
At this, Thalia's eyes flared in suspicion, "I know most of the demigods from camp half blood. I don't remember seeing you. The way you fight…I would have remembered a sword fighter of your caliber."

The voice whispered again and I repeated its words as convincingly as I could, "I left after Percy Jackson left for the Golden Fleece. I didn't wanted to side with the Titans so I made my way solo. And if you had spent as much time on the road as I have, you would learn to fight too." Hera studied me with a controlled expression, trying to detect a lie in my voice. Apparently she didn't found any.

"Well you can come back to the camp if you want. The giants are rising. The camp could use a fighter like you. I promise you would be claimed by your immortal parent as soon as you reach the camp. All the minor gods now have cabins at the camp, so you won't be shuffled in the Hermes cabin again. You could be with your friends again. You might perhaps meet your siblings". The mention of siblings enraged me, as I remembered Jerric and Annabeth…with difficulty; I controlled my temper and replied with gritted teeth,

"No thanks. I already know who my father is and he made sure last time that he didn't want to do anything with me. I have no friends at the camp, only traitors and backstabbers. All my real friends died in the Titan war. I only saved you because doing otherwise would have led to destruction to chaos and as much as I hate the Olympians, as much as I want to teach you spoilt arrogant brats a lesson in humility, I wouldn't let the world destroyed if I can do anything to help it. Rescuing you has already stretched my limit. No, I don't want anything to do with you. So you can take you offer and shove it up in your…" I clamped my mouth shut before I could complete the sentence. I was still trembling with anger. Hera looked like she was about to vaporize me but I didn't cared. I already have done too much for those fools.

I calmly returned her murderous glare and replied, "If you feel any gratitude for me rescuing you then let me leave. One war was enough. I don't think I can live through another." With that I turned back from the stunned expressions of the Hunters. Leo, Piper, Jason, Thalia and Hera's murderous glare, I stormed out of the room into the stormy night.  
"Wow_! I heard you had a talent of ticking off major gods and goddesses but after seeing you at work…remind me again how did you manage to survive for so long_" the voice chuckled. As usual I ignored it.  
I had barely walked for an hour when I heard footsteps behind me.  
"Finally deciding to show yourself, do you now" I glared at the 8 years old in front of me. Her eyes immediately tore up and started feeling guilty.  
"Oh Percy! I'm so sorry. Khione really scared me. I thought she will hurt me again. So I ran away. I am coward. Hera was right to kick me out of Olympus. I am a useless goddess. I couldn't even protect you from the monsters and…" and she started crying hysterically. I engulfed her in a hug and tried to sooth her which only made her cry louder. "I'm a poor excuse of a goddess. I don't deserve the company of hero like you. I only came back to return your bow to you and then I'll-".

"You can keep it", I blurted out. "What?", she stared at me blinking tears out of her eyes. "you can keep the bow. I can't shoot a shot to save myself. Besides you need something to defend yourself and you are pretty amazing with that bow. And you are not leaving me. You might not be the most courageous of the Olympians, but you are the best I've met, so shut up about the useless thing and let's get out of here before Hera decides she wants to incinerate me after all." Aer stared at me for a long time, then gave me a bone crushing hug.  
"_You do know that we could have got ridden of that annoying pesky goddess, don't you?_" the voice asked. I grinned. "_She may be an annoying pesky little goddess but she is still my friend. Besides after hear her chatter for so long, she's beginning to grow on me. And you do need a dose of your medicine in annoyingness. __So she stays with us._"


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Piper's POV  
I was stunned as I saw the boy walk out on the queen of heavens. Either he was really pissed or had suicidal cravings. Or he was almost abnormally brave and judging from what little I had deciphered about him, the latter seems to make most sense. I mean how many normal demigods have you seen charging super powerful-and-evil giants and holding their own or fight psycho dragon man who vanish when you try to attack them. I was seriously impressed with this guy, and judging by their looks, Leo and Thalia seemed to agree with me, which was a great feat considering Thalia was a Hunter. Hera was still glaring murderously at his retreating figure while Jason was fuming openly at his insolence. I guess Hera being his patron and all; he was a bit touchy about her. From the corner of my eye, I saw Thalia frowning slightly as if trying to figure out something. Amongst the Hunters she was the most suspicious of all and his defiance of Hera only seemed to fuel her suspicions. Edging quietly to her side, I used my most persuading charmspeak tone and asked,

"What's bothering you Thalia? Do you think he's an enemy?" I shuddered at the thought. After seeing him fight, I wouldn't want to be on his bad side.

Thalia sighed, "No, he just reminded me awfully of a friend of mine." Her voice quieted, as if she was remembering something which was painful for her. "He was almost as good as the Hunter guy. And he had the same short temper and loose tongue as this guy. For a moment I thought….." she trailed off.

I dared a guess, "you thought he was you friend." She looked at me with a pained and haunted expression.

"No, it couldn't be him. He died 5 months ago in a car crash. And now with Gaia stirring…." She trailed off again.

"Yes. That annoying hero chose a wrong time to die. If only he'd survived for a couple more years." Strangely it was Queen Hera who spoke this time. Thalia's expression darkened.

Before she could say anything that would cause her future trouble, Leo blurted out, "what do you mean by surviving a couple more years and who are you talking about?" Jason looked sharply at Leo and Leo bit his tongue. What is his problem, I thought. Hera looked at Leo quietly as if deciding whether to incinerate him or answer his question. Luckily for Leo, she decided to answer his question.

"She's talking about _Perseus Jackson_, son of Poseidon and hero of Olympus of course. Even after all his misgivings, he was a brave and kind hero, much better than that kelp head they call their leader at the camp. If only Perseus was alive, my plan would have turned out smoother. But that kelp head is a necessity, I suppose since prophecy demands a son of Poseidon."

And she got lost in her own thoughts. That didn't made sense. Gathering my courage, I asked Hera,

"Are you talking about Jerric. He's a great hero. I mean he slew hydra and completed Hercules's tasks for crying out loud. And I heard he's the best swordsmen alive at camp in the past 300 years. Why would he ruin your plan? From what everybody says at camp, I gathered he was a great leader and warrior. Surely he was a good choice." I couldn't help but remember Annabeth's sad face at camp. How dare she bad speak the greatest hero at the camp? Hera chuckled while Thalia's face darkened more, if that were possible. She smiled at me mysteriously and replied,

"Of course you're right daughter of Aphrodite." Somehow I got the feeling that she was trying to convince herself more than me. Thalia's expression grew pained. Hera straightened herself and said, "Since you rescued me, I'll send you back to camp. Behave yourself." With that she snapped her fingers and I blacked out. My last thoughts were "_I'm going to find out more about this Perseus fellow and prove to both Thalia and Hera that they're wrong and Jerric's a better hero_". This much I owned to Annabeth.  
Next few days after the quest were both interesting and frustrating. I finally wrenched control of Aphrodite cabin from Drew. Jason slowly began to regain his memory and figured out that the lost hero Jerric, son of Poseidon was at the Roman camp. Though the mood was subdued for Jason warned us that Romans were not as friendly as the Greeks. Athena and Hephaestus cabin began the construction of Argo 2 and all the campers except the Ares cabin joined the preparations to bring the lost hero home. They were frustrating because try as she might, she still can't figure out anything about the mysterious Percy Jackson. Ares cabin would glare at me the moment I would mention him and rest of the campers behaved as if he was just another renegade campers. I almost convinced myself that he was just a minor camper…..almost. But somehow I couldn't get Hera's and Thalia's expression at the mere mention of his name out of my head. Finally after arguing a lot with myself, I decided to consult the oracle of Delphi.  
Rachel Elizabeth Dare was made the oracle of Delphi after the Titan war, I was told. She was a mortal with clear sight, which means she could see through the mist. Throughout my stay here, I had only seen her once, and that was to give Jason the prophecy of our quest. Apparently, she doesn't like the other campers. She had only two friends at the camp, Clarisse la rue, the scary head counselor of Ares cabin and a strange emo boy called Nico di Angelo, son of Hades, who doesn't spend much time at the camp. To tell the truth, I was a little scared of her. Mulling over my own thoughts, I finally reached the oracle's cave and found her painting something on white canvas. Looking closely, I realized it was the portrait of a boy with ice blue eyes though not cold as Khione's eyes. Though his face was blurred and indistinguishable, I had a feeling that I have seen him somewhere.

Clearing my throat, I finally said, "Urr...mmmm...Rachel, I was wondering if you could tell me something about Percy Jackson." I regretted immediately. Rachel scowled at me murderously, her hands clutching her pencil tightly, her hair bristling, she looked as if she wanted to strangle me for my dare. I could almost feel her reigning in her temper as she glared at me suspiciously.

"Why do you ask!" she snarled. I was taken aback by her rage. I wondered what this Jackson guy did to trigger such a response in her.

"I…I heard Hera mention him at the wolf house. She and Thalia talked about him as if he was some great hero. Since I've heard almost no mention of him here, I thought you being the oracle would know more." Her expression sobered. She lowered her gaze as if contemplating whether to tell me the truth or just send me off. Apparently she decided on the former, as she motioned me to sit on the couch, and then began rummaging through the cupboards. Finally she emerged bearing a small bundle.

"I requested Apollo to tell me about Percy's adventure before I met him. He had the muses made them especially for me. They are in Percy's point of view. There are five scripts in total. Read them tonight and return them to me tomorrow. But don't tell anyone else about it. Not that they would care anyways."

Taking the package, I silently exited the cave and made my way to the Hestia cabin figuring it would be empty. I didn't want to be disturbed. I called Leo who initially grumbled about being away from work but sobered quickly when I told him about the package. He like me had been wondering about Percy Jackson from Hera's conversation but decide to take a more fatal approach by asking Clarisse about it. He was still limping as he went to ask his cabin mates to excuse him. I wanted to bring Jason too but he was busy sparring with his half sister Alex. So it was Leo and me who sat down together and we started the first script titled 'the lightening thief'.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Past few weeks were one of the worst weeks in Percy's life. Ever since he rescued Hera's life, he's been chased by monsters all over America. And the worst thing was that they were resurrecting faster than Percy could kill them. So, being the intelligent demigod that he is, he decided to follow the safest option that was to flee. And flee he did. So after weeks of running away, Percy found himself on the outskirts of the great forests surrounding Denver. Memories of the past flashed in front of his eyes, his, Grover's and Annabeth's adventure in the Denver water park. "SHUT IT", he snapped angrily at himself. That phase of his life was over. It was time to move on. Suddenly he heard a bloodcurdling scream. Snapping out of his memories, he turned his head, listening, trying to pinpoint the source of the scream. It came somewhere from the wood. Again someone screamed. Percy immediately ran towards the noise when he felt his shirt being pulled strongly and he fell. Snarling, he glared at Aer, the culprit, but then become concerned when he saw the terrified look on her face.

"Percy, don't go there. Come on, we have to leave", and she began tugging me in exactly the opposite direction from the scream. Percy shrugged his arm from the goddess's grasp and said,

"Why? Someone's in trouble. They need our help." Another scream rang throughout woods, this one more terrified than the last.

"Percy we can't help them. Please! You can't fight this one. We have to leave".

"No! I won't leave someone who needs me behind when I can help them and what do you mean I can't fight this one?" Aer shivered. Percy could see that she going through some internal dilemma. She was terrified but holding herself for his sake.

He lowered his voice and asked her kindly and gently, "Aer what are we dealing with. Tell me see so I could help whoever is screaming". As if on the cue, faint sobbing noises came from the deep dark corners of the wood. It took Aer just one look to see that Percy wouldn't budge without helping that person. She was proud of her friend but also fearful for him. She knew what was in the woods and was terrified, but her instincts were telling her that Percy could manage them. Trusting her instincts she whispered knowing whoever was in the wood could hear her easily,

"It's the cold ones. The three cursed children of Hecate. They were stronger than Hercules and faster than Achilles. Like the empousas they drink blood to survive and their bite is infectious. They also have superior senses as many other strong monsters. They were supposed to be in Tartarus because of their banishment by Zeus. I've shrouded us in the mist so they couldn't hear and smell us; otherwise we would have been dead by now". Percy understood the fear of his friend but he also knew that he couldn't leave whoever was out there alone with these cold ones. Without speaking a word he ran through the woods towards the source of sobbing. Another shriek filled the air cutting through his heart like a sharp knife, followed by more sobbing and pleading. As he neared the woods, what he saw drew his breath away. Standing in the clearing, were two girls, one about a year younger than him and a little girl about 6 years old with pigtails crying with two missing teeth. And two buff looking men stood before them. The older girl was small and pale, like a porcelain doll. Her eyes were dark red surrounded by dark circles, as if she hadn't slept for a week. Hers was contorted in a grim and cruel expression as she smirked maliciously at the two men. Both of them had the same chalky pale skin and dark circles as the small girl and their expression matched hers. Percy's monster sense was tingling like crazy but he remained calm. This wasn't the worst monsters he had faced. There, lying on the ground at their feet was another girl, this one with bonze curly hair and beautiful but fragile face. Her face was twisted in pain and her cheeks were stained with tears. Her deep chocolate brown eyes were wet yet somehow she was holding herself together. The small doll girl looked at her, smirking viciously, and she screamed again in agony. Her pained face and agonized screams were twisting Percy's heart in knots. He averted his eyes at the scene before him and said,

"Aer, I'll distract these cold ones. You go around them and shroud yourself and the girl in the mist. If I die then take her to safety", then without giving the goddess a chance to reply, he summoned his shield and Rebellion and charged at the cold ones.

The pale doll girl looked up at him in annoyance, and then smiled coldly. Immediately immense pain rang throughout Percy's body as is someone was slowly microwaving his insides. If it had happened 3 years earlier, Percy would have screamed and curled up in pain but now after bathing in Styx, getting crushed in a car and then being brought back from dead, it felt just a minor distraction. Her smile vanished when Percy continued his charge. Immediately, the two buff men intercepted him. They were fast, damned fast but not as fast as Iapetus was, so Percy wasn't taken by surprise. They appeared astonished that he was able to hold against them. They fought with bare hands, trying to aim at his throat, their fangs out, faces contorted in deadly snarls. Percy removed all thoughts from his mind and let his ADHD and instincts take over. All three fighters moved in a deadly dance while the girls looked transfixed. From the corner of his eyes, Percy saw the bronze haired girl vanished. Relieved that she she's safe, Percy switched from defense from offence. Ducking under one of them, he slashed his sword upward then changed direction at the last moment. He was rewarded with a dull crunch as a bodyless head rolled off towards the ground while the headless body continued to fight, clawing and lunging blindly. Using its confusion, Percy grabbed its arm and judo threw him at the other man. Before the two can gather themselves up, Percy slashed Rebellion like a whirlwind, deftly cutting the already headless body into shreds. Now there were only two of them. Circling Percy like a hawk the man studied Percy curiously and said in a beautiful yet deadly voice,

"You fight well. Throughout my life, I've never fought a mortal or a vampire like you. You're fast, almost faster than us. Who are you?".

"Who I am doesn't concern you". At this the small doll girl interrupted,

"You are good warrior human. Would you like to join us? You could be invincible and immortal, fast and strong, never ageing, forever living. What do you say?"

Percy smirked. "No thanks. I like myself the way I am". The girl became enraged and snarled like wild beast and lunged at him, and their deadly dance began. The other man watched silently. The girl was fast but wasn't very experienced. She seemed to rely on her ability to cause pain to her opponent. So Percy was easily able to defeat her. Soon she joined the blonde man as vampire dust on the ground. The other man smiled coldly at Percy and said,

"You really are very good. The best I've seen. By the way, my name is Dmitri. Till we meet again" with that he ran away leaving a cloud of dust behind him, as Percy watched the retreating figure. However he was distract from his thoughts by an immortal projectile called Aer, who slammed into him, hugging him tightly, almost fiercely.

Her face was wild with joy, "Percy! You did it! You fought off 3 like vampires alone and won. Quickly! Before they reform, burn them" so they quickly gathered the broken vampire pieces and set them on fire and the sky was brightened with purple flames. Percy and Aer then quickly tended the girl who had fainted when she saw the Dmitri guy run away. When she opened her eyes, she stared at Percy then blushed deeply.

"Are you ok", Percy asked concerned. "I…I'm fine. Th…thanks" she stuttered. Aer looked at her kindly and said,

"Hi, I'm Arya and this is my brother Hunter. Who are you? Where are your parents?"

The girl peeked at Percy then blushed again and stuttered, "m…my Na...Name is Linda Cook." And this is my sister "Julia". She stood up but almost fell as Percy grabbed her before she could hit the floor.

"You should rest a little bit with us, we shall camp here and then walk you till…where are you going?" asked Percy as he was bandaging Julia's arms and Aer doing the same thing with Linda.

"We are going to meet some of our friend at Reno and go with her" said Julia but she received a scornful glare from her sister which Percy didn't miss neither Aer. To avoid any awkward moment, Percy went to take some woods and hunt leaving the girls among themselves. He came back later with two rabbits hooked from the both sides on the woods that he was carrying on his shoulders. Together they ate in silence and slept under the gaze of the full moon.

Early in the morning, Percy and Aer walked the girls to Reno, from time to times Percy would carry Julia on his back but it only result with the elder scowling or glaring at the younger. But if Julia saw what was happening, she did as if she didn't know and enjoyed her walk on Percy's shoulder. In the evening they reached their first destination, and the girls thanked them for their help but when Percy and Aer offered them to go with them to their meeting, Linda said

"No thanks. It's not that we don't like you, but if we get there along with a boy, they won't take us in" Percy tried to protest but Aer stopped him. Later on their way back he asked he why didn't insist and stopped him her only replied was "The Amazons" which result with a

"_See? I told you, this little goddess is useful and knows many things_"


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12 **

"Race you to the road?" I said.  
"You are so going to lose." She took off down Half-Blood Hill and I sprinted after her.  
For once, I didn't look back.  
Leo finished and closed the book. The entire cabin was enveloped with a pin drop silence. For once in his entire life, Leo was at a loss for words. Looking across the room, he saw Piper wasn't doing any better than him. Finally, when silence was becoming uncomfortable, he cleared his throat and said, "So…..what happened afterwards?"  
"I'll tell you."  
Both Leo and Piper startled and looked across the room. There, standing by the door was goddess Hestia. She silently closed the door and sat beside them.

"Annabeth and Percy went on a mission to get two demigods to camp. They were none other than Jerric and Alex. When Poseidon and Zeus claimed them, Percy was happy that he finally had a sibling. However from that day onwards, his life went downhill. Jerric started flirting with Annabeth. He got a quest with her and Alex who brought them closer. During this quest Jerric completed the labors of Hercules and defeated Apate goddess of deceit. But unknown to them, it was Percy who actually defeated the goddess and completed about the three quarters of the labors for he was worried for Annabeth and was watching their quest closely, helping them whenever he could. When Jerric returned, he was proclaimed the hero and leader of the camp while Percy was left to bear the brunt of the prophecy. Annabeth broke up with him. His friends left him for the new hero. His father claimed Jerric as his favorite son and his best friend Grover too broke their empathy link to make a new one with Jerric. His dearest brother with whom he went in the Labyrinth and to the Sea of monsters, Tyson died defending Atlantis. His parents too died in a car crash. Finally unable to bear the unjust treatment of the camp, he left. He died in a car crash, thus completing the prophecy. Poseidon took riptide from his grave and gifted it to Jerric. Among his friends, only Thalia, Nico, Nyssa, Rachel and Ares campers remained true to him and attended his funeral. None else did. When Gaia started awakening, Apollo, Hermes and Hades sent Nico, Thalia and Clarisse on a quest to Elysium to get his spirit to pass through the doors of death and return to get us out of trouble again. But they couldn't find his soul in Elysium. Neither was he in Isle of blest nor in the Fields of Asphodel. They just couldn't find him anywhere so they only took out his dear brother Tyson as strangely for a Cyclops possessed a soul. That's why his friends are sad, angry and depressed. They lost their friend and leader and didn't get a chance to say goodbye." Hestia became silent, studying the stunned expressions of the demigods in front of her, waiting for their outbursts.  
"BUT THAT'S OUTRAGEOUS!"  
"HOW COULD THEY! I THOUGHT BETTER OF THEM"  
"THEY ARE AS BAD AS THE GODS"  
"I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT ANNABETH COULD DO THAT. AFTER I SYMPETHISED WITH HER AND ALL"  
"Peace demigods" Leo and Piper quieted though Piper was still fuming while Leo's hair was still on fire, his eyes full of anger.  
"What's done been done. There is nothing we could do more. I have a favor to ask of you. Please don't take your outburst on the campers. We have to stay united if we want to survive. Only then we have a chance. Forgive them. At least, try to avoid open antagonism. Annabeth and Jerric are amongst the seven and we cannot have the seven fighting among themselves. For everyone's sake, promise me you will try your best to keep the seven united."  
Leo and Piper sobered a bit at the goddess' pleading expression. Quietly they came to a decision and said quietly but firmly, "we swear on Styx." The thunder rumbled outside. The goddess smiled warmly at the two demigods and then vanished.

On Olympus Apollo was watching the exchange quietly. He had sensed a shift in future when Rachel gave the girl Piper the manuscripts of Percy's adventure. He was glad that Hestia was able to calm down the demigods' anger. It was necessary for the girl Piper to stay calm and unite the seven. Without her they'd fight each other to death and war will be lost even before it started. He also knew that Gaia was planning something to get rid of her. He heaved a great sigh. _If only Percy was alive_. He teleported himself to the Olympus archery range where his sister was practicing archery.

He cleared his throat and Artemis spun with speed of lightening aiming her bow at Apollo's throat. "Jeez sis, chill down! I was just visiting."

She frowned at him suspiciously and said, "What do you want?"

"I want a favor to ask. I want you to assign your huntress Thalia to the protection of Piper Mclean the daughter of Aphrodite"  
"WHAT! I'LL DO NO SUCH THING FOR THE DAUGHTER OF THAT NO GOOD LAZY USELESS GODDESS!"

"Calm down sis. I wouldn't have asked if it wasn't urgent. She's a very important part of the seven. If anything happen to her, the seven will break apart like a pack of cards." Artemis narrowed her eyes suspiciously at her brother but his face was dead serious. She'd rarely seen him this serious and sensed this was important indeed.

She grudgingly relented, "fine! I'll send Thalia. But you'll owe me for this."  
"Thanks lil' sis. You're the best littlest sister in the world." With that he gave her a hug and fled away before Artemis could catch him.

"APOLLO YOU COME BACK HERE WHILE I SKIN YOU ALIVE YOU NO GOOD STUPID SCUM."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

To say Thalia was surprised was an understatement. She had just received message from her lady to return to camp and act as a guardian to Piper Mclean. Thalia had met Piper while she was hunting the renegade wolf men. She was with her brother Jason and a son of Hephaestus, Leo. She had also known from Chiron's iris message that she was one of the seven listed in prophesy. Children of Aphrodite are not best known fighters. Maybe that's why Artemis asked her to act as Piper's guardian. She grimaced. Living with that lot, she was probably biased towards that no good sea spawn. If only Percy was alive…Shaking her head, she called Phoebe, her second in command, and said, "I'm going to the camp for a while, Lady Artemis's orders. In my absence, you will be in charge. Lead as Lady Artemis would." With that she sped off towards the camp.  
Jason was having the worst day of his life. He had just remembered Reyna, the love of his life and his fellow praetor. He remembered their long walks, their first kiss, her raven hair, and her stern bearings. Remembering her, he had immediately broken off with Piper. Because of this, Leo was giving him the cold shoulder, while Piper had hidden herself in the oracle's den. Jason considered going to her to make peace between them but the oracle frightened him. It was a common knowledge amidst the camp that Rachel Elizabeth Dare hated all the campers with a passion, specially the Athena cabin. Jason still remembered the frosty glare the oracle had send towards him when he had agreed to go on the quest to save Juno. His only comfort was his half sister Alex. She comforted him after his confrontation with Piper. She also told him various stories about Jerric, his counterpart. He was truly amazed at what he had accomplished at such a short time at the camp. He now truly believed that they have a chance against Gaia_. Piper can't be mad for long. She'll come around eventually._ He was disturbed from his thoughts when a lightning bolt hit hi, square on the chest. Shaking his head, he glared at the culprit, then immediately smiled, "Thalia! You're back." Thalia smiled at her brother fondly. She still couldn't believe he was alive and standing in front of her.

She gave him a big hug and said, "Lady Artemis sent me on guard duty. Where's Piper? I'm supposed to protect her."

Jason's expression saddened, "I remembered that I had a girlfriend at the Roman camp. So I had to break up with her. She's angry with me now." Thalia patted her brother back sympathetically.

"Don't worry yourself baby Jay, she's your friend. She'll come around. Where is she by the way?"

"At the oracle's cave"

"Really! Rachel allowed her inside? Hmmm." Thalia frowned thought fully. So that means she knows about Percy. Maybe that's why she was ignoring the campers. "I'll see you around dinner" she said to Jason and sprinted off towards the oracle's cave, oblivious of Jason's stunned expression.  
Rachel was painting when Thalia entered her cave. Seeing Thalia, Rachel gave her a bone crushing hug and yelled, "Thalia! What are you doing here?"  
"Easy there Dare. It's just me here. Artemis sent me to babysit one of Aphrodite's daughters: Piper Mclean"  
"oh! So what are you doing here in my cave? Shouldn't you be at the camp or the Aphrodite cabin or something?"  
"Are you saying she isn't here with you?''  
"What would she be doing with me? She did visit me once to know about Percy and twice more after that, I think. But I haven't seen her for quite some time." Thalia stared at her friend blankly. Then sprinted towards the big house, flashing past the clueless and startled campers. By the time she reached it, she was out of breath. Hearing the commotion, Chiron came out. His expression brightened at seeing Thalia but quickly changed to worry seeing her troubled face, "Thalia! What a pleasant surprise seeing you here. To what do we owe this surprise visit?"  
Thalia finally managed to calm herself down, "milady sent me to babysit Piper Mclean. Jason said that she was spending most of her time at the oracle's cave but Rachel said she hadn't seen her in a while." Chiron expression darkened. Ever since Percy's death, oracle had been extremely antagonistic towards him and the other campers. And she had every right to be. Chiron still couldn't believe how he had treated the hero of Olympus. When Rachel had told him that it was Percy who defeated most of the monsters in Jerric's quest and it was he who defeated Apate, he had become terribly depressed. He had blamed himself for Percy's death. If only he had kept his faith on the boy. He saw the oracle approaching the big house, her eyes carrying the same frosty glare she always wore when dealing with him and the campers. Sighing to himself, he asked the oracle, "Rachel, I thought Piper was with you."  
"She visited me once or twice in the beginning but stopped after that. I have no idea where she is. Why don't you ask your precious campers where she is? Someone must have seen her."  
Chiron's expression became troubled. He immediately summoned the entire camp near the amphitheatre. Clearing his throat to get their attention he said, "Piper Mclean, the head counselor for the Aphrodite cabin has gone missing. Has anybody seen her recently?" all hell broke loose.  
"WHAT! ANOTHER ONE?  
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN MISSING"  
"WHO WOULD KIDNAP A DAUGHTER OF APHRODITE"  
"WHE-"  
"HOW-"  
"SILENCE!"  
Leo's voice echoed throughout the amphitheatre. Than in his deep calm voice he asked, "Has anybody seen her recently"  
Dakota looked uncomfortable. She had relinquished her post as second after she had refused to break some Ares boy's heart, thereby losing her right to passage. She was really happy that after suffering under Drew's tyranny, Aphrodite's cabin had found a great leader. She cleared her throat and said, "I had seen her walking near the Zeus fist last, walking toward the oracle's cave. I haven't seen her since then." A deafening silence spread throughout the camp, as the campers digested this piece of information. Then Leo finally broke the silence, "we have to find her. We need a quest. I am willing to lead it" At this Annabeth immediately stood up, "no you can't go. We need you to work on Argo 2 and complete the second great prophesy."  
"And how do you expect we complete the second prophecy when one of the seven is missing" sneered Leo. Ever since he had read the book, he had started to feel uncharacteristic hatred towards the daughter of Athena, something which hasn't missed Annabeth's notice.  
"I'm not saying that we leave her to fend for herself. We obviously need to find her. I'm just saying that YOU need to stay and complete Argo 2 so we can go to Roman camp and save Jerric."  
"I agree" strangely, it was Thalia, "Piper's security was my responsibility. Artemis obviously knew something was going to happen or she wouldn't have sent me. I was too late to come here. Beside every camper is needed for the completion of the Argo 2. I'm a Hunter and best suited for this job." All the campers murmured their agreement. Chiron stamped his hooves, "it's decided then. Choose who you wish to take with you on this quest"

Hardening her expression, Thalia said in her quite clear voice, "I would take Clarisse, daughter of Ares and Nico Di Angelo, son of Hades with me to this quest." Clarisse nodded her consent while Nico emerged from the shadow he was hiding and said, "I'll go". Immediately Rachel's expression changed. Her eyes became dead and she began sprouting green smoke-

**Three shall hunt the daughter of love; trespassing through the land, sea and air above;  
the forgotten one hides the trail even the clearest and strongest sight shall fail;  
throughout the west the journey shall be; for she is the one who is destined to be;  
the nectar for a hero's broken heart; a death that will save the world or tear it apart."**

Leo immediately caught the oracle before she hit the ground. She stuttered her eyes tiredly and said, "Was it good?" Leo chuckled. Chiron looked at Thalia grimly. Without saying a word to their fellow campers, the chosen three sprinted out of the amphitheatre, out of the camp and into the world to find the lost daughter of love.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Piper was having a rotten day. First she had apparently blacked out when she was going to meet the oracle. Then she had woken up to find herself in the middle of nowhere. Then she found that she couldn't move because she was covered with mud from shoulder down. Great! Just great! Full gravity of her situation occurred to her when she heard earth rumbling beneath her. And slowly, hundreds, no thousands of earth trolls with six hands each rose from the earth. They occupied the entire valley. Piper stared. She had never seen such a large assembly of monsters in one place. She remembered how difficult it had been to kill such creatures when they were rescuing her father. Such a large army of them, it would be impossible to stop. She closed her eyes in prayer, sending a wordless plea of help to her mother, to Leo's and Jason's father or anyone who listens. Please guys! Camp will not be able to survive this. This time they had no Percy Jackson.

Meanwhile miles away from Piper's predicament, Percy was observing all this in a dream. Strangely, he could also listen to her prayers. He was dumbfounded when she mentioned him. How did she know about him? Knowing the campers, he was sure he would have become a just another campers who fled the camp. Yet she knows. Hmmm.  
"_Will you help her?_"  
Many people would have startled up alarmed that they were hearing voices in their head. But if your life is as messed up as mine, you know that a divine entity has decided to mess you up.  
"_So…you're still there huh. Haven't heard anything from you in a while. No call, no messages, no IMs, I was starting to get worried._"  
"_As pleasing your company is to me, I do have my divine duties to perform. Don't worry. I didn't miss any action. It's all being recorded. I'll send you a DVD someday."__  
__ "How touching. Just wondering by the way, was it you who send me that dream. Was it something that has happened or happening or is going to happen? That's if it was a typical demigod dream and not you messing with my head,"__  
__ "I don't mess with people's head hero. That's the gods' job. And what you saw is what's happening right now. If you're specially brave and resourceful, you'll be just able to reach her before all is lost."__  
__ "That's a quite hefty list. Are you sure got everything?"__  
__ "Niet. Only thing left was ridiculous insanity. You've got plenty of THAT. So I think we got everything covered."__  
__ "Thanks. I feel so loved."__  
_The voice chuckled.  
"_Hurry hero, every second is precious._"  
That jolts me back to reality. Not bothering to waste time on an annoying not-so-morning-person goddess I quickly drenched her in ice cold water. Her startled expression was so good that I rolled on the floor laughing my head off.  
"_PERSEUS JACKSON_! YOU NO GOOD SON OF A BARNACLE BEARD...'' she continued throughout the journey to the private airfield. Using the mist, Aer had managed to book a private aircraft to carry us to Florida, the valley where I saw the giant army and the pretty girl I met on mount Diablo. Her rant continued throughout the flight. I looked at her with amusement as the goddess trailed off to another language, one not yet discovered by mankind. Percy found it easy to ignore the tension that always accompanied him whenever he's airborne. The voice had told him that due to Aer's manipulation of mist, Zeus would not be able to sense him. This didn't do anything to ease his tension. So concentrated to figure out the meaning of the profanities the angry goddess was throwing at me.

Percy's pov

Time passed in a blur. I finally managed to calm Aer down by buying her an Italian Delight Dark chocolate Ice Cream with hazelnut and chopped cashews. The rest of the journey to the valley, the goddess settled on glaring at him and slurping her ice cream. Aah, the pleasures of being an 8 years old. When we finally managed to reach the valley by twilight, there what I saw made my jaws drop. The army was much larger than what I saw in my dreams. Apart from huge trolls with six arms that I saw on Mt Diablo, there were legions of dracaenaes, telkhines and unless Percy's eyes were deceiving him, hordes of Cyclops. And there were also scores of Canadians giants, though their original name Percy couldn't remember. Percy knew if this army managed to get through the camp borders, there will be no camp left. No matter what the campers did to him, he simply couldn't see the army meant for their demise march off so easily. He couldn't wish this kind of death to anyone mortal, emphasis on the word 'Mortal'. There were many immortals he would love to blast off to the depth of Tartarus.  
"_The army will march off at midnight and reach the camp within an hour by earth travel. By dawn, your precious camp will be nothing but a wasteland. So you have at least 4 hours to kill every single monster and of course if you're lucky, you also get to save the girl. __Best of Luck hero. I'll be watching_."


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Percy stared at the huge army in front of him. If possible, it was even larger than the army that attacked Manhattan during the Titan war. Aer's startled gasp brought Percy back from his stupor. No time to waste. First step was to alert the camp.  
"Aer can you send summon a rainbow. We must warn the camp." Goddess gulped then nodded. Soon a scintillating rainbow appeared in front of Percy. He quickly fished out a drachma from his pockets, threw it into the rainbow and prayed desperately, "o iris! Goddess of rainbow, hear my plea. Please show me Chiron at camp half blood." The mist in front of changed. Percy immediately dove out of sight giving his former teacher an obstructed view of the valley. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Chiron's frightened expression. After a minute he passed his hand through the message ending the connection. "Good! Step 1 completed now for step 2, defeat the monster army. Any godly ideas Aer?" the said goddess glared at me then shivered.

"You are the great her0o. I'm just a pesky annoying goddess."

"So you finally admit you are pesky and annoying. That's good. First step is always the most difficult, admitting you need help. Now if only you-"

"_PERSEUS JACKSON_, IF YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH THAN JUST GO INSULT THOSE MONSTERS 'CAUSE THAT DEATH WILL BE KIND COMPARES TO WHAT I WILL DO TO YOU!" Percy chuckled.

"Now that's the spirit. Maybe we'll make a fine goddess out of you yet" Aer shut her mouth at Percy's light tone.

Then her expression sobered, "Percy we have a whole damn army to take care of. Do you have a plan?"

The laugh Percy gave in answer was so evil and sinister that the goddess almost expected to see illusionary hell fire surround him with two horns, fork tale and bat wings, with a pencil mustache and forked goatee. "Crazy idea time!" Aer groaned. The goddess had learned to be truly terrified of Percy's crazy ideas by now.

"Manipulate the mist and create an illusionary demigod army and an illusionary rider. I'll create an earthquake. Make them follow the rider. The moment they see the illusionary army, they'll attack. In the confusion, I'll strike them from the side and save the girl. What do you say?" Aer looked at him as if he had grown horns and fangs,

"That's brilliant, pretty insane but brilliant. How in the name of Hade's most baggy gym shorts did you come up with such a great plan" Percy looked at her hurt, "I can make decent plans too you know. I did spent most of my teenage life questing with a daughter of Athena. She was bound to rub off me. Now if you have done insulting my intelligence, why don't you do your job" and with that he stomped off towards the woods on the east of the monster valley. Pretty soon, Aer felt the earth rumble and saw many of the giggenes stumble and crumble into rubble, while other just ran around in circles rolling their arms in panic. Aer stifled a laugh. She concentrated and soon heard the desirable shrieks of the monster army as they pointed at her illusion. She led her illusion to a large clearing in the woods where she had already created and illusion demigod army. She heard the pursuit stop and retreat in terror as they ran back to their camp. Soon all the camp was in chaos as if some giant being had poked them with a huge stick. Aer looked in fascination as a major part of the army marched off towards the clearing. Soon she heard Percy scream a war cry running into the valley from the south. Aer watched in wonder as he slashed, stabbed and whipped the remaining monsters that had been left behind to guard the prisoners. As usual, his luck ran out sooner than expected.

Percy saw the plan work almost flawlessly as he watched a majority of monsters march eastwards to engage Aer's illusion army. Sensing his opportunity, he yelled and threw himself at the remaining monsters as his mind went into autopilot. He slashed stabbed, whipped and rolled as everything around him turned to dust. He almost thought that plan will be completed without a hitch. Almost, but as usual, his luck ran out just as he needed it the most. To his left he heard a huge cry as the monster army returned, seriously pissed off at being tricked. When they saw their comrades turned to dust with Percy staring at them wide eyes, Rebellion frozen in mid air, their expression was beyond fury. As one they lunged at him. Normally, Percy was so pleased of his plan that he didn't want to deviate but observing the circumstances, he thought it better to run. Hence emitting a very feminist 'eeek' he did an about turned so diligently taught at play schools to young toddlers. Percy idly promised himself if he ever has kids, he will teach them to pay special attention to these stints. If the tree nymphs had seen him run now, they would have been mightily impressed with him. He could hear the monsters closing up. Without any proper destination in his mind he ran to the first thing that came to his mind-the beach. So ran for his life as about 10,000 very pissed off monsters followed him pursuit, causing the earth to rumble and birds to flee from their trees in terror. As he approached the sea, Percy had a crazy idea.

A very crazy idea. Gathering his breath he yelled out to the sea-

"oi Amphitrite! I heard you're so ugly that you make medusa look like miss universe!" the sea thundered as waves as big as a small building crashed mercilessly to the shore. Perfect!

"Come on crab girl, maybe if you get rid of those horns, you won't scare away the baby seals" the sea roared in response. I could almost see my father's wife burning with anger as the sea responder to their queen's fury. I was in the water now. The monster army behind me- either too stupid or too enraged, followed. Finally I played my trump card-

"Thank god my father doesn't spend time with you! If he got a good look at his wife, he would have got a heart attack". What happened next was too frightening for me to relay. A giant tsunami wave surged towards me now, charge with full fury of the queen of the ocean glowing with a bright green glow tinged with red, shimmering with power. I knew I would never be able to get out of this wave alive, son of Poseidon or not. I forced myself to stay calm as long as I can then willed my body to become water vapor and speeded towards Aer as fast I could. Even in my liquid state I felt the wrath of the sea as the wave swept out the entire monster army in its fury. As if sensing I was the culprit, I roared towards me trying to swallow me whole. I felt my life force eroding in the temper of the sea as my vision blurred and I blacked out.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Great! Just great! This is the second time in the year I've found myself in this place. In case you are wondering, I'm currently at the one and only DOA recording studios. Yeah you're right. I'm dead…again. Weird huh! Unlike many normal people, I simply just couldn't die in peace. First it was the supreme creator of the world. Now it's a ridiculous ungrateful ferryman. Charon absolutely refused to ferry me across to the underworld. He even refused to accept a bribe. He said that my arrival here is not right. Something about my complete soul not being present or other nonsense like that. Now if I was alive, I would have bullied my way across but since I was dead, I was helpless. I distributed my drachmas to the spirits who had been waiting for the longest. After that, it was nothing but endless chatter of the dead. I'm lucky that I had practice to tune out chatter with Aer, or I would have gone mad by now. No doubt she'll tell you I'm mad already. I was seriously considering a revolt when a blinding flash filled the room. Normally I would have averted my eyes to save myself from being incinerated. But since I was already dead, I didn't bother. Standing in front of me was a young woman with soft brown hair and a slender figure and a face that kept changing, making it impossible for me to make out her features, not that it was necessary. I already knew who she was from Annabeth's lectures.

"Hey Hecate! Long time no see".

The goddess glared at me, "That's Lady Hecate for you demigod. And what's this revolt thing I heard from your thoughts?"

"HOLY SHIT! YOU CAN HEAR MY THOUGHTS?" "DEMIGOD! YOU DON'T YELL AT ME!" I calmed down and mumbled a sorry. She glared at me again, which was kind of uncomfortable with her ever changing face.

"So you were being naughty and trying to revolt against your lord"

"I'm sorry m' lady. That ferryman wouldn't let me cross into the underworld. I even offered a bribe but he wouldn't listen". The goddess stared at me as if I've just said I saw Athena and Artemis at a beer bar brawl. Then she looked at me closely, or that's what I thought. She leaned closer and actually sniffed at me, then straightened apparently satisfied.

"The reason he refused to ferry you across is because you are not dead. At least not yet..." I stared at her.

"Pardon me m' lady" I spoke carefully polite, "but what do you mean I'm not dead. If I am not dead than what am I doing here?" the goddess stiffened, probably furious at my dare to question her. Suddenly I was glad at my polite tone.

"You are very close to death. In fact, Thanatos would be reaping your remaining soul from your body right now. The moment he's finished, you'll be able to cross." She said stiffly. I was not truly confused. After the war, most of the minor gods were on friendlier terms with me, including her. Now she was acting as if she barely recognizes me. My features were unrecognisable when I was alive because of Aer. Is it possible that her magic is still working? I would if I were alive. It was pretty strong, since it fooled Hera, Thalia and that pretty girl whose life I saved from the vampires. Does that mean that I'm still alive? It was then I realized that the goddess Hecate was staring at me. I looked down at my form wondering what was wrong. It was then I noticed that my body was becoming fainter and fainter. I felt my essence being pulled. Startling out of her staring, the goddess made a wild grab for me but she was too late. I felt myself turning into thin mist as I blanked out again.

Piper's POV  
WOW! Just WOW! That was the only way I could express what happened. I was wallowing in my own self pity when I felt the quake. It was quite strong and for a second I thought that Gaia must be very pissed. Then I saw many Earth giants crumble to dust and realized. I couldn't have been Gaia. She wouldn't destroy her own army would she? I also felt the earth surrounding me loosen. Then I saw a lone rider at the top of the adjacent hill. Wait a minute. Was it….Leo? The rider turned and some of the monsters followed in pursuit. But they returned shortly screaming something about a demigod army. So was it really Leo? But how did they manage to so far so fast? I mind was running around in circle as I tried to figure out what was happening. Almost entire army roared in response and more than half marched off to face the army while less than half were left behind to guard me. Wow! They must really have a very high opinion of me. Then out of nowhere, I heard a battle cry and a lone figure wielding a sword and a shield which looked very familiar crashed into the remaining monsters hacking them apart as if they were made up of dust. He too looked oddly familiar. Could it be? Yes! She knew only one person who could fight like that  
(sorry Jason). But what is he doing here. She was pulled out of her confusion when she heard the remaining army march back looking really pissed. Is the battle already over? No. it can't be over that quickly. Something is wrong. Apparently he had the same thoughts because he gave a very lady like squeal and did a 180 that would have made coach Gleeson very proud, and then sprinted off towards the ocean. Something must have pissed off these monsters as they all followed him in pursuit. Leaving me alone to myself. I wrecked my brain to find something to free myself completely when I felt my bonds loosen completely. I opened my eyes in alarm and saw an 8 years old girl tugging my skirt clutching a bow. "quick we must hurry before they return" she whispered. I nodded and followed her out towards the woods. After we walked for about an hour she stopped. I felt a disturbance in the air as I saw air compress together to form a body that fell to the ground. With a squeal, the girl Arya, now I remember her name, almost flew towards the body. Watching closely, I was right. It was Hunter. Only the bad thing was he wasn't moving at all. Suddenly there was a bright flash of light and I averted my eyes. When I opened them I saw a beautiful man with dark complexion and black wings. I saw Arya shift towards me and whisper, "he's Thanatos, god of death. Distract him for as long as you can" then skittered back towards Hunter. I shifted uncomfortably and smiled weakly at the beautiful god in front of me,

"Umm…Hello. Do I know you?" he looked at me, ''I don't think so girl. I'm Thanatos, god of death. I'm here to take the soul from this boy's body."

"Ummm…if you don't mind me asking sir, but why? Is he dead?" I sounded idiot, even to myself. I could only gather that I must have sounded very ridiculous to him. I tried to gather my powers as he stared at me blankly. I tried again, "Sir. Don't you think your visit is a bit premature? I mean he is so young. Please let him go this time."

I could his eyes glaze with indecision. He shook himself then smiled humorlessly, "nice try kiddo. But your charm speak won't affect death. I'm sorry but your friend has to go. He's dead. Nothing you do could can change that." He smiled at me sadly.

"Are you sure about that" I turned towards Arya. She was wearing a triumph smile. The god of death looked at her curiously, and then his expression changed from smug to shock, then to rage.

"YOU CANT CHEAT DEATH I WILL NOT ALLOW THAT!" I trembled but Arya was calm as ever. She slowly raised her hand and rattled a small perfume sized bottle at the god. The god resumed his normal form as realization dawn him. "Hmmmm. Elixir of life. Never saw one of those for quite a long time." The god sighed, "Very well then. Your friend shall live this time. But be warned. I will not be distracted next time." With that he vanished turning into bright light.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Piper stared at the couple in front of her as Aer and Hunter guy whispered to each other fervently. From their fleeting glances in her direction, she deduced they were talking about her. Unable to bear, she cleared her throat loudly. The whispering stopped abruptly and the said pair looked at her.

"I'm sorry to interrupt but can you guys explain me how you got here? Or better, how I got here? And what do you plan to do with me? And how are you alive? I swear your pulse had stopped completely and there was almost negligible heart beat?" the two of them looked at each other as if having a silent conversation. Finally, as if they reached to a decision, the guy, Hunter, turned back to me and answered,

"I am alive because of the Elixir of Life. As long as the heart beats, the Elixir can heal almost anything, even certain death. As for how we got here, I dreamed about you being captured and a monster army preparing to march into camp half blood. As much as I hate that place, I really don't wish them death. Actually, I came to rescue you as Gaia hinted that you are someone special, the obliterated monster army was just a bonus."  
She stared at him blankly.  
"…as for what we are going to do to you, we are going to take you back to camp."  
Piper sighed in relief. Then her expression saddened. She had to face Jason at the camp. Despite the brace face she put up in front of everyone, their break up had really destroyed her from the inside. Silently she cursed her mother for making her fall in love. Hearing about Annabeth breaking Percy Jackson's heart had also affected her views about love. Right now she hated love more than anything. She had already decided to join the Hunters of Artemis as soon as the goddess manages to escape from lockdown on Olympus. Then she would be able to get away from those obnoxious campers.  
"Judging by your expression, you are not eager to return. Is something wrong?" Hunter's voice broke her away from her thoughts. She was surprised to hear concern in his voice. "You wouldn't understand" she turned away. He grinned cockily at her, "Try me. I hate that place. I ran away from there remember?" Piper studied her savior carefully, and then decided to tell the truth. After all he had saved her life. Beside she was itching to empty her heart to someone. That was the main reason she was visiting the Oracle that evening.  
"I broke up with my boyfriend. Then I found out…" And slowly she poured her heart out to the strangers in front of her. Her audience was sympathetic and silent. Arya silently hugged her as she broke up in tears in the middle, rocking and humming to her quietly till her sadness passed. And she continued on, revealing her entire life to these strangers. Things she had never told to anyone. Not Jason, not Leo, not her father, no one. Yet she felt oddly calm and at peace with herself. After she finished, Hunter quietly walked away, leaving her with Arya to cry her pain out. When he returned, Piper had settled down considerably.

Taking a deep sigh he said, "Piper, I sorry that you have to face so much in life. But know this that you are not the only one who have a messed up life. This is the legacy of every demigod. We fight our hearts out for our parents, only to have them recognize us. Because we are part divine, we can never have a peaceful life. This is a part of our heritage. There is nothing we can do about this, so there is no need to feel sad. As for Jason, be glad that he told you the truth the moment he regained his memories. There are some who would have played you along. Would you have liked him to betray his girlfriend just because Hera placed him near you? He is a good friend if he told you the truth from the beginning. Such friends are rare. Don't lose them just because of a heartbreak. They are the ones who make life worth living. Trust me. I know how difficult it is to live without friends. I would never have survived without Arya. Even though she's a bit annoying"

"OYE!" Hunter smiled. His smile was carefree, as calm and wild as the ocean. She was surprised to hear such deep words from him. He must have gone through much in his life. After all, how many lone demigods do you see? Suddenly a thought occurred to her.

"How long have you two been wandering like this?"

"Quite a while"

"Do you then know Percy Jackson?" she asked hopefully. Hunter grimaced while Arya burst into a fit of laughter, literally rolling on the ground chuckling helplessly.

"kn…o…w per….cy j...jack…son?" she howled with laughter, thoroughly confusing Piper.

"_Well what are you going to say to her? Do you know Perseus Jackson_?" the voice said and Percy could almost see it smirking teasingly at him. So he thought as fast as he could of a valuable answer.

"Yes, we knew him. Remember I left after his second quest but we met on the Princess Andromeda, in New York during the invasion and a couple of hours before his accident" finally said Percy. But Piper could see that it was only half the truth and judging by the way Arya was looking at her brother, her suspicion only rose. She thought she had no other solution than to charmspeak Hunter. She took a deep breath and just before she could speak Percy beat her to it

"Don't even think about it, I've already met and talk to your mother a lot of times. So your demigoddess charmspeak won't work on me" it startled Piper how he could know what she planned to do and about that "_I've already met and talk to your mother a lot of times_" stirred something in her that she didn't really like but she couldn't put a finger on it.

"How did you know…no. How did you met my mother?" she asked looking at him in the eyes but Percy just shrugged while Aer was trying to hold herself from laughing hard at her question

"It's not so difficult to fall on an Olympian; you just have to go to some places like big university for Athena, chocolate saloons and other sweet plus some gardens to find your mother more or less alone except for the gardens where she meets Ares. Zeus is always after big shots as TV broadcasters, celebs and other woman managing big companies. So you just have to know to find them" but Piper was clearly impressed by what he said.

"So what are we going to do now as you don't want to go back to camp Half-blood?" Aer said as she tried to break the uncomfortable silence that fall on them as she looked from Piper to Hunter (Percy) "well if possible, I want to travel with you guys, well if you could take me somewhere" she uttered nervously but it seemed like Percy was with fighting over the idea.

"Where do you want to go?" Aer asked glancing at her

"Well as I won't go back to camp Half-blood, I was planning on going to the roman version of CHB" when she saw Percy's face, she decided to explain them everything she knew about this new prophecy and the two camps. At the end Percy reluctantly accepted to get her to camp Jupiter when Aer was all ok with it.

"_Come Mr. guardian angel. Let's baby-sit the hot chick the voice said_" So they began to walk as neither Percy nor Aer wanted to see their cover blown up.

Unknown to them, Thalia, Nico and Clarisse started their quest to find the dove's daughter based on a prophecy they didn't really understand but they had no other choice than doing it. Their first step was to go in Florida as Chiron told them because of a strange IM he received from someone who probably knew him but didn't want to be found out so he assumed it was a god as they were lockdown on Olympus so he didn't want to be find by Zeus disrespecting his orders and also because in the far background he was able to see a girl in chains. When they arrived in Florida, it took them a lot of time visiting each beaches to find any clue which only was possible at their fourth day after their arrival.

"From what I'm seeing and with all these ropes I can say that there was some kind of fight here" said Clarisse as she saw the ropes/chains that held Piper, "we're probably too late as it seems to me that someone took care of it before us" she added as she turned to her friends that were behind her.

"I can say that there was some kind of death here…" Nico said but Thalia sharply cut him "there was death yes or no Nico" as she kneeled to look for some hints on the dirt.

"Well there was death here, but not only for monsters, but another demigod" he replied

"WHAT?" both girls screamed at him "you mean that Piper's dead?" they both asked in one noisy voice "no you don't have to worry" Nico said covering his ears and before they could ask him why not to worry at the camper's death he added "the one demigod who died here suddenly came back to life…and don't ask me how it's possible. And judging by the way this beach's geography is '_special_' and the way the sea looks restless, I think that the sea brought death on this place. Monsters and the demigod died by its hand" he finished looking at the sea at his right.

"Well better not be here for long as if the sea did all this ground shafting, a daughter of Zeus and a son of Hades being here isn't a very good idea. Especially in the company of a daughter of Ares as knowing his relationship with Percy, Poseidon might decide to drown us too" said Thalia. Just saying her cousin's name made her want to cry as the last time she saw him was just after the second Titan war, _if only I knew_ was the sentence that most of time came to her mind just after thinking about him. But now wasn't the time to get blasted in those dark thoughts and from the sorry eyes and faces on her friends, she knew that speaking his name wasn't a good idea.

"Let's go guys, I think I've find a trail even if someone purposely tried to erase it" she wanted to sound strong but her voice betrayed her feelings but forced herself to continue "we have three different footprints here; I can say that these two are careful not to any but the other seems to belong to Piper…I assume"

"We have an adult or teen with a little boy or girl because this footprint is too small to belong to a grown up." Clarisse paused, "Piper is in company of two people and seems not to head for New York but the west coast. Why doesn't she go back to CHB?"

"Jason" Thalia answered to her question and then explained to them what happened between the two teens. At the end of her explanation they understood her choice but there was something fishy to all of them. Then Thalia remembered the brother and sister they met at the wolf's house at Hera's rescuing and she reported all of it to her friends.

"I understand you Thalia but they can't move that fast if they aren't gods neither Hades children to shadow travel from so far" Clarisse said looking at Nico for support, "yeah that's right it's been more or less one week since your return from California and I clearly don't see someone who angered Hera that much taking a plane which mean crossing her husband's realm and surviving to it if he isn't Zeus' child" Nico backed up Clarisse's idea.

"Well we know that they're heading for the west, what are we still doing here?" Nico asked with a big grin on his face. "Yeah let's roll punk" added Clarisse. With that, they left tracking Piper's company.


	18. Chapter 18

**WELL Dear readers I'M BACK. Sorry for not posting for the couple of weeks but I got a lot of work to do for college, I may not have enough time to post any other chapter for a moment as I have my exams for the 29th of this month, so patience to you and there will be 4 or 5 chapters in a row this week so you have no time to complain. All the chapters are from Piper's pov except for the last part of the last chapter which is in Jackson's. **

**To those who wrote to me, my deepest apologize if I didn't replay to you not only I didn't really have the time, but I thought that the best reply would be few long chapters.**

**To all of you: I have to remind you that English isn't my language as I was born in a French former colony. So don't be too hard on me as I have none to correct my work. Well enough with delaying your pleasure.**

**Chapter 18**

For the two next week Percy, Piper and Aer walked nonstop days and nights, but just after leaving Florida, the amount of monsters after them only increased, in the beginning Percy didn't understand very much why they stopped dying and why it seemed like most of them wanted to kill Piper, well expect for the monsters after them, his days remained the same with Aer trying to drive him crazy and the "stupid" immortal in his head making comment on everything he did or thought about. One night as they all were around their fire, he tried to ask Piper if she wanted to go back to Camp Half-Blood but Piper was determined.

"I won't go back now, after a pause she continued. If I go back now it will be meaningless, from what I did understand, Hera wanted Percy Jackson to be the one she exchanged with Jason...but he died so she had to substitute him with his brother Jerric" she said the last name with distaste in her mouth. She found out saying Jason's name didn't hurt her any longer, but she also saw Hunter tensed up just when she started talking about Hera's plan but as she heard him muttered "stupid bitch" under his breath, she putted on the fact that the boy didn't like the goddess. And then she thought: did Hunter hate her mother? But if he did, why didn't he leave her?

"Why do you want to go to Rome if there is one of you already there instead of camp Half-Blood?" Aer asked Piper as she tried to avoid some "inconvenient" reaction from Percy. Piper just looked like the question took her out of her daydream.

"Ah? Yeah...well, when I came back from my quest with the other two, I wanted to know more about Percy Jackson, seeing the way Hera and Thalia talked about him" she took a big breath and once again she saw Hunter tensed but after that he seemed more focused on her as if to decipher something about her that he didn't know. Well she was used to people looking at her being it because she was beautiful, the way she acted and dressed. But until now she could take it without a problem, but his eyes was piercing her heart, seeing her whole and it scared her but somewhere back in her mind she liked having his eyes on her. "So I asked people at camp about him" she negatively shook her head about those memories.

"_It's not polite to stare at people, you'll creep her or she might take you for sick pervert_" the voice chuckled. But Percy didn't give him a piece of his mind; he didn't care about his teasing.

"So what? Tell me" Aer impatiently and eagerly asked her while Percy remained calm as if he wasn't even here but his eyes were still fixed on Piper but Aer didn't care about it, she only wanted to know what the campers said about her friend.

"Well to most of the campers...the name was like poison, whenever I asked they would react as if it was a taboo. When I asked the Ares cabin, well if looks could kill, I can tell you that I would have died quite a lot of time and in a very painful way" she paused and stare at the fire for a minute before speaking again "But the worse was the oracle Rachel-"

"-Elizabeth Dare" Percy finished for her, which reward him a glare from Piper and a question from her "How do you know about the oracle's name if you left after Percy Jackson's second quest?"

"_Well guest now who's corned hum , little hero, what kinda lie are you going to give her because I'm not helping you_" the voice laughed in his mind "_I love this girl, are you sure you don't want to take a chance with her?_" it teased him, and he could tell that he puffing.

"_Shut it and watch_" he told it

"I know only her name and how do I know her? Well even after leaving camp I had means to speak and take some news about Mr. Jackson...and as they dated for a moment before the battle of Manhattan, I know about her and her visions" he told her, after a moment, Piper just shook her head as if she understood him but he could tell that she wasn't convinced and wanted more explanations from him, but lucky for him it was Aer who saved him

"So what about the oracle, speak" Aer told her and Piper's eyes came back on her, and they went once again on Percy then came back to Aer but she still looked at Percy from the corner of her eyes to watch out any reaction from him.

"_See the noisy goddess saved your sorry butt. I told you that she could be useful...when she don't talk too much_" the voice said

"She passionately hate everyone at camp, even Chiron, well except from the Ares cabin and Nyssa" she glance at Percy but there was no reaction from him, then she kept on "It was strange as knowing how violent and warlike Ares children are to be friend with them. But the reason was because of what they did to Percy. So one day I went to see her in her cave, there was a big canvas of a beautiful green eyes boy with jet black hair and a white stroke on them. The canvas was on the wall and you could tell that someone tried to partially erase it but didn't in the end" her whole face was tomato red as she said how hot the boy was, this time she wanted to escape the eyes of Hunter and Arya just to hide her embarrassment but she couldn't so she just turned around to hide her face but unfortunately for her, her ears were on fire.

"Well you can't just be wrong, but let me tell you one thing..." Aer spoke which made Piper turns around to looked at her while Percy glare at her, but she just smirked at him and said "I can tell you that after the war, he was hotter than what you saw in the canvas. You had the impression that a god was before you" and then she cracked and laughed alone well almost as the voiced laughed with her inside Percy's head.

Piper just looked at the laughing "kid" but she didn't understand what was so funny, how laughing about someone who is dead after saying he was hotter before his death than he had been in the canvas, but judging from the look Hunter was giving Arya, she could tell that he didn't appreciate her last words but in what did it concerned him? There was something that only the brother and sister knew, something big and capital that could influence the result of the war but she couldn't what it was. So she just calmly looked at Hunter, the moment she was about to look at something else because she felt herself as a stalker, something or some things changed about Hunter: his jaw line became stronger and the most important was the eyes, at the beginning and since she knew him he had sea-blue eyes but for a moment they changed into a bright sea-green color that made her gasp. As she gasped Percy and Aer turned to look at her to see what startled her.

"What's happened is there any monster?" Percy asked her as he looked around their camping site, but he eventually stopped as he saw that Piper was looking at him and not behind him. "Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked her as he began to feel uncomfortable under her gaze.

Aer was looking at the two of them to understand what the matter was; her eyes went from Percy to Piper and back to Percy. She didn't miss that Piper was staring at Percy for the whole night as if to see through her power and see the real "Hunter" but she didn't saw what happened while she was laughing.

"You...you...your..." she stopped herself to gather herself before she could talk, "your face-"

"What my face?" Percy rudely interrupted her

"_Let the young lady talk, it's rude to interrupt her. Your mother wouldn't have been happy with such a behavior_" the voice said.

"_Leave my mother out of it_" he sharply replied to the voice.

"For a moment your face seemed to change. Your eyes' color changed too, it went from sea-blue to sea-green, how is it possible" Piper told them but Percy didn't have any answer and once again it was Aer who saved him.

"Oh don't worry it happens from time to times, especially when he's angry, but you can also see it happening when he's in contact with water and lately when he's happy. But don't worry he's never happy so you won't see it that time and for your own well-being don't make him angry" she added the last part looking at Piper right in her eyes. "Now tell s about Percy Jackson and the campers". Piper lost her voice, when she opened her mouth she would only gape as a fish.

"Well I was saying that Rachel was suspicious of me wanted to know about Percy Jackson, when she sent me to the campers and reported her their reaction, she gave me a book containing all of Percy Jackson's quests written from Percy's POV. In the book Leo and I founded out what happened to Percy and how his friends and most of the gods abandoned him to his fate after he saved them during the Titan War II-"

"Including your own mother too, she might even be the one who hurt him the most after his own father of course" Percy abruptly interrupted her. Here is the answer to her interrogation, and from the distaste in his mouth, Piper could tell that her mother wasn't one of his favorite Olympian; well does he even have one she wondered.

"Yes including my mother Aphrodite" she hardly recognized even if she didn't like it, she rode how her mother promised to mess with Percy's love life and indeed she did. "Leo and I wanted to act about it but Hestia talked us out of it and she also told us the truth about Jerric's quest, how much he did most of it in their shadow..." she paused, the last part was harder to say even for her, "...she also told us about his death and how only his last friends attended to his funeral, which were Thalia the lieutenant of Artemis , Nico son of Hades, Nyssa daughter of Hephaestus , Rachel and all of the Ares campers with is quite funny knowing they hated him before" she added with a little smile. Arya looked at Hunter and smiled when she saw a slight smile and gratitude on his face but it all disappeared as fast as it came before Piper could see it. "Hestia made us swear on the Styx to not bring up what happened with Percy Jackson with the other campers, so here I am" she looked at the brothers with an apologizing smile.

"I think we should all sleep. Tomorrow is a long day and we will start your training" Percy told Piper but she herself was lost as she didn't expect it but judging from her face, Aer too didn't expect it.

"_It's good to know that you're not foolish enough to send your little girlfriend to Camp Jupiter...well except if you want her butchered"_ Chaos laughed.

"_The next time you tell me that 'she's my little girlfriend' I will sue you and then kick you outta my head"_ Percy told the voice.

"_So it means that I can just say girlfriend as you don't want the 'little' part"_ it made fun of him _"And I thought I already told you, there's no higher judge than me so your case is rejected before you eventually put it"_ the voice kept laughing.

"_You can go fade yourself"_ he harshly said, before turning his attention back at Piper who had her mouth still opened.

"You told us that Jason brat told you that Romans only respect strength, well without trying to make fun of you, I don't think that the Romans will take you seriously or they will test in the way that you will be out of the game" Percy told Piper right in her eyes, he could see that she didn't really appreciate his words and from the tension in her neck and the way her hand was close to her body, he could tell that she uses a knife or a dagger just like...Annabeth...that thought must have bring hatred in his eyes and face because suddenly Piper gasp and fell on her butt as she tried stand up and move back in the same time, her face was the rough expression of fear, she was so scared that it shocked Percy himself but as he glanced at Aer he could see that he even scared her. "Goodnight" he just told them before lying on his bunk.

"_You should learn to control your feelings and facial expressions, you scared the hell out of your poor little girlfriend..."_ the voice said in his head.

"_Shut up and leave me alone"_ he told it and then he fall asleep.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

_**PIPER'S POV**_

_What in hell is wrong with that guy?_ I asked myself, I didn't even recall being on the floor. He scared the hell out of me in a blink of a eye and I've never been so scared in my whole life, even before those giants I wasn't so scared, I felt like I was in deep sea and there was a big shark swimming around me as if I was its toy or stood before a big lion. I suddenly felt cold because of the night chill and the sweat. _Gods, am I really going to train with this __guy? _I looked at Arya and she too was scared for a moment thought not as much as me, maybe because of their parentage.

"Your brother scared the Hades out of me" I told Arya as I recovered,

She looked at me for a moment then sighed "Well I too, but don't worry too much about, he will never hit a woman...maybe" she said to me but also seemed to convince herself,

"Hell thanks, that's I way to reassure someone. For a moment I really thought that I met my...death" I told her and I fell tears running on my cheeks "I thought he would protect me until we reach camp Jupiter but I seems like he's going to kill me even before we reach California" I found myself continuing, as I brought my face to my hands then to my lap, I felt somebody embrace me running small hands in my hairs. Then that someone said

"Chuuuuuut don't cry Piper, he didn't mean to scare you. Hunter had been running a really hard life..." Arya said to me as she kept running her fingers in my hairs.

"But you think my life was simpler? You seem to forget that he said that demigod's life is hard, why he hates me" I cry in the little girl's lap.

"Let me tell one thing" she paused and raised my head so that she could see my face, she wiped my tears with her little hands "but you have to swear to me that you will never tell him that I told you that. And you will never tell to anybody" as she said it she looked at Hunter's laying form as if she was scared that he wasn't asleep: so she's also afraid of him duh. I thought to myself.

"I swear that I shall be silent as a grave" I replied to her, and then she said something I didn't expect her to say,

" You'd better be or you will find yourself inside one before you can even reconsider your words" and at this moment I found out that she, this little 8 years old girl could be scary and as dangerous as any angry goddess. But I also founded out from her eyes that she might be older than 8 years, but now wasn't the moment to speculate on your only 'possible' ally's age. "Per...Hunter has suffered much more than Percy Jackson. He has enemies almost everywhere and the way you put your hand near your body as if to take a knife and to kill him made bad memories come out of his head. I bet he wasn't even seeing you and was probably lost in one of them most likely" there was pain in her voice.

"Thank you" I told her which earned me a smile, as it was a positive sign, I kept on "You know, for a moment you didn't look like a 8 years old little girl, your looked much more holder than your brother" then it hit me "he's not real brother right" I asked her.

"No your right, he founded me as I was bullied and protected me. Since my real family doesn't care about me, I don't go back _'home'_ and since then we're brother and sister" my face must have frowned because she was suddenly smirking and I could see mischief in her eyes when she asked me "You're not jealous of our '_relationship' _Ms McLean?" I shot up and looked at her then at her 'brother' still sleeping, then at her again

"Why would I be jealous? He's a rough, violent and scary boy, what would I want to do with someone like him?" I replied and I think I did it too fast because her smile grew wider and there was light in her eyes, trying to avoid any of her question and her damn smirking face I asked her another question that I shouldn't have asked

"Do you know his parentage?" I hoped she could give me an answer but my hope died when she sighed and said

"Yes I know" before I could even asked who it was she added "but I won't tell you because it only concerned him and only him to tell you which will most likely never happened. But I can tell that he lost his mortal family and moment they all were most happy"

it saddened me to hear her saying it and I'm sure it must have been an heartbreaking news that fell like a hammer on the top his head, that's probably why he seems so lost and lonely sometimes _Yes but it don't justify his behavior and that he's a crazy scary demigod_ I thought to myself. I brought out of my thoughts when I hear Arya asking me why I was so interested in her brother. Without even thinking I snapped at her "Who says that I'm interested in him"

I thought that she too would snap at me or be rough in her answer or just ignore me but she calmly answered me as if talking to your child and ignoring his tone "Well because you've been asking quite a few questions about him and not even once about me" she added a smile that was hitting in the face like a fist.

"I...I'm..." I couldn't find an answer as I broke my brains to find one but it didn't give me anything, and she just sighed and told me.

"Chill Pipes, I was just teasing you, you don't have to answer if you're not interested in him" she smiled at me once again and then told me to sleep because I might regret it not doing so once I would start my training with Hunter even after laying on my bunk despite the tiredness the only thought of being train by him sent chills on my spine because I was scared in even if I could admit it to Arya, I was also excited to show him (Hunter) what I can do. I looked at the starless sky for a moment before drifting into dreams.

In my dream I saw Leo worried sick about me and before him stood his sibling Nyssa, at first I couldn't hear what they were talking about but as I got closer, I suddenly could.

"_...I didn't __know__ that there was so much back stabbing bastards in this camp. They all do as if you're best friends but in the end they let you down after helping them, the same with the gods" Leo said and there was thunder in the sky, Leo looked up in the sky and added "yeah you left him"_

"_Leo, I don't know how you found out about Percy but __it's__ the least of our concern" said Nyssa, "you got to help build the ship...no you have to give your best in its building" she continued she wanted to add something else but Leo cut her_

"_How can you sit there with those bastards and keep forging things for them, I thought Percy and you had a friendly relation even if it wasn't as deep as with that damn goat boy the same with Jake. It's like you don't mind about what happened to him and-" _

"_HOW DARE YOU" Nyssa violently interrupted him and grab him by the collar of his t-shirt "HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT I DON'T CARE" she screamed. The violently shook him and then calm down and said "Do you really think that I don't care about what they did to him? Even if we wasn't bonded with me as with those who betrayed him...Percy is my friend...my leader" she blinked her eyes to prevent the threatening tears in them from coming out "It's thanks to him that most of us are still alive, if it wasn't for him I would've died burning when the camp was invaded, or during New York's invasion, it's thanks to him that I still have home and most of my sibling, that I didn't have to see my whole friends butchered by some Titan of the light" I thought she would stop but she added "when __Beckendorf__ died he was as devastated as if it was his sibling who died, I know he avoid most of us sometimes because he felt guilty of his death but we never blamed him because he died a hero by killing some monsters" now she was crying._

"_I'm so sorry Nyssa, but why didn't you nor Jake told me about him when I asked you" Leo asked her, _

_She__ wiped her tears and told him "It's because we didn't want you to bring it and getting us in the end inside a civil war, we can't fight among ourselves and fight against Gaea and her giants. And __besides__, Jake __doesn't__ take it too well that he wasn't able to attend to his __friend's__ funeral. Yes he was closer to Jake and Charles than me, and as I was Charlie's 'little sister' he thought I resented him for his death, but I was happy that he died with a friend by his side saving the life of many campers. How did you found out about him because honestly I don't see the other campers or Chiron telling you and especially not the oracle" she laughed a humorless laugh "NOT HER, the Ares cabin even have a little representation of him in their cabin and Clarisse cherished her first electric spear that he broke, but I advise you not to repeat it...for your well-being that it is"_

"_I'm sorry for your lost" Leo said and she thanked him, 'but if you want to know, Piper asked the oracle after seeing me beaten by the Ares kids...well let's just say that she gave her scripts of Percy's adventures and life at Camp Half-Blood written from his POV by Apollo's muses, one for each year here" Leo told her _

"_What? For real? She had such a thing and never told us..." she was thoughtful for a moment and then added "well I understand her choice, but I have to see them" she said the last part looking at her brother as if expecting him to produce them out of his tools belt. But Leo for once seemed to have his brain because realization came down on me that she wanted to see the scripts, that's when he said that I gave them all back to Rachel and reported her what Hestia told us._

After that, my dream drifted to a place where we camped 2 or 3 nights ago, there was three people: Thalia the Huntress with her military boots, Clarisse the buff daughter of Ares and behind was the emo looking kid Nico his name was I think or supposed. Behind Nico was a giant hellhound that was sniffing the whole place when Clarisse talked

"_Isn't she supposed to be with Tyson wandering in the wild looking for some guy that the voice told __him?__Sometimes__ I wonder if his death experience or his brother's didn't shook him too much, 'The voice' in his head? He's __losing__ his mind" just as soon as she said those last words, Thalia and Nico turned around to face her, __and both__ did hit so simultaneously that it made it scary. __Nico already__ had his black knife out and pointed it at Clarisse who just growled at the threat._

"_Don't ever badmouth Tyson in my presence" Nico growled and his eyes had a sinister fire in them "you don't know how it feels to find yourself alone when the person looked up at isn't here anymore" his arm was violently shaking from anger._

_Thalia putted her right hand firmly on Nico's shoulder and said "Nico, we don't have to fight among each others. Mother Earth is enough, and Clarisse I don't want you to ever insult Tyson, I owe him my life as Nico too, and for the sake of my friendship with Percy, I won't tolerate any insult to my __Cyclops__ cousin" she told Clarisse as she glare at her but this time Clarisse didn't back down but kept looking at Thalia in the eyes and then she looked at Nico's determinate face._

"_Do you really think that I don't care about Tyson? I also owe him my life as many other campers, but I'm worried about him. Never once when Percy was still alive did he mention that he heard voices, even if you IM him he would look for the source of the voice. But right now it's in his head, what is that damn voice telling him? How don't know if our actual enemy or one of her children isn't the voice? I already fail Percy...__I__ don't plan on failing his last brother" you could heard the hurt in her voice as she said the last words._

"_You're right Clarisse, I'm sorry for snapping at you" Thalia said, "It's just that first Percy, now I'm failing to find a single daughter of Aphrodite..." she added_

"_Don't mind about it, just don't let it happens again" Clarisse replied with a smile with Thalia answered with a smile too. _

_But it all faded when Nico opened his mouth to say "Tyson isn't Percy's last brother, there is also Jerric..." he smile but the glare he received from the girls made him cower for a moment and he quickly added "It was joke, neither I do I think of him as his brother" but he was serious at the end of his speech._

"_Where in the hell could Piper __have__ gone? I'm tired of running after her" said Thalia as she looked around, she sighed and said "we will camp here and move in the morning" but before she could sit Nico screamed "Got something"_ and I was out of this vision.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Still Piper's POV

I thought that would sleep, but nooooo, I got to drift into another dream in which I was in a garden full of beautiful flowers: roses of every possible colors, lilies...the garden was full of the flowers' perfume, at the middle of it was a marble representation of a woman half naked carrying a dove and a rose, I got closer to it when it says

"Oh Piper dear, I wasn't expecting you so soon" I got so scared that I jumped back and ended up into the roses and their thorns ripped my skin and clothes and for a dream it hurt more than in reality making me scream as a mad woman.

"Mo...Mo...Mother?" I asked hoping she was just behind the statue but my hope was just over when the statue moved and got down from its stone to come near me.

But as it got closer to me, well just imagine a big marble statue coming to you, well there no much difference as if a giant was coming to you because well my statue-mother was bigger and taller than her real version thought not as big as I was told they are in their throne room, I was so scared that my first reaction was to try to stand up and run but I lamely ended up into more flowers and more thorns with cut me as if I was made of butter, my mom just tsk tsk me and grab my fighting form on the collar of my shirt and lifted me as if I was a kitten.

She putted me down on the nearest bench and said "Here Piper" as I was struggling to take off the thorns that were glued on my clothes my mom talked as if I got her whole attention "You scared me when you disappeared. I've been trying to contact you since then, but my efforts were unfruitful, tell me what happened to you dear" the statue said and sits next to me. It felt strange to call "mom" a statue, and worse to tell it your story. I'm pretty sure that if someone saw me talking to a statue I would end up in a psychiatric facility. I told my mother everything that happened since the end of my quest until my rescue by Hunter and Arya. My mother listened to everything I said better than her human version which made it strange for me as she now she was made of marble but I didn't want to ask her about. After listening to everything, at first mom didn't utter a word, she seemed far in her thoughts and her hand subconsciously caressed the rose in her hand, we stay like that for what seems to me like an hour and then I heard her says

"So that Hunter guy is the same that helped you in your quest to free Hera"

"Yes, the same guy" I replied to her question

"And he doesn't like some Olympians including me" she addresses to me as her marble head turns around to meet my eyes, and I just gives her a nod to answer to her. She sigh and asks me how does Hunter looks like but when I ask her why she wanted to know she replies "Just in case I've met him or his father somewhere and that's why he doesn't like me. What other reason is there for a young boy to hate me if it wasn't about me going out with his father?" I couldn't answer to her because for a moment that possibility came to my mind, and it seems like Hunter doesn't like his immortal parent, and if it's a man...

"I don't know mom, maybe you just messed up one of his relationship the way you always like to do it" I tell her with a little bit of resentment in my voice because of Jason and I.

My mom seems to see the change in my voice because she says "my dear Piper, knows that I never planned for you to be dumped by Jason as most of times it's my children that do it to others." she tells me and seems sincere and serious since the last time I saw her, "I thought that it might work between Jason and you but it didn't, I may be the love goddess but favoritism is forbidden to me by the council and the fates. And if you recall, during your quest I made a lot of favoritism." she adds to defend herself but I didn't want to back down on this subject so I dared to say

"And what about Percy and Annabeth? You shattered their relationship and his heart and his mind by the way" I now stand up to dominate her marble statue-like "during my quest with Jason and Leo you talked about them as if they still existed and that they were the best couple, and don't tell me you didn't do it because I remember reading that you promised Percy to mess his love live up for your entertaining" at the end of my tirade my breath was heavy and my fists clenched but my mother didn't take me seriously. She looked at me for a moment and said

"Well about Percy, I didn't want it to come this far. Yes I told you they were the best couple since Paris and Helene so tell why would I want them to parted their own ways leading one to his death when I only wanted to made a little drama in their relationship? And you should know that even when I act if the fates aren't ok with it they can change it, Percabeth? Well it was ok as a motivation for the TWII but not anymore once out of it. I don't blame them for everything but I know my mistakes and feel sorry for Percy an-" I just didn't want her lame excuses anymore so I cut her

"HE'S DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU, MOTHER? Feeling sorry for him won't help him, when he needed your help the more; you people turned your back on him. So don't pretend to feel sorry or claim that pathetic rule '_No god shall interfere in mortals affairs' _because countless time you interfered in my quest just like your husband, and as I rode in Percy Jackson's life the only gods who didn't interfere in his quests are Demeter, Hades and Jupiter plus most of the minor gods" when I finished I walked back and forth to try to calm myself, but what infuriated me more was my mom slight smile and then she said

"You're in love with a dead boy" and then she laughed as if there was no tomorrow, I could feel my face getting hotter as I looked at her clutching her stomach because she laughed too much, when she stopped she looks at me smiling and says "I didn't know that it was possible even when the character died a long time ago without you knowing him; yes none of us care anymore about Percy after the war, and if you've read his life from his POV you should know that it always wanted it this way but we let him down when he needed us and we can't change a thing about it, only regret it as now we need his help...we're helpless" she paused as she wiped the tears in the corner of her eyes but the damn smile was still there she seemed to read my mind for her smile widened "don't worry Piper there is nothing to do about it, maybe if you choose reborn after your life you shall be together...but as his soul is nowhere to be find, well reborn is out of option for him"

"Mom, don't tell me that you brought me here to laugh at me because I don't find it funny" I tell her because I wanted her to put an end to her nonsense about Percy and I. But my mother knows me too much because she laughs once again and then stopped under my glare.

"No you're right; I want you to go back to camp. I can't let you in the wild by yourself while the earth is after you. Thalia's team his looking for you and from what Artemis told me yesterday they've found a really good lead to your place so you shall wait for them there and go back to camp Half-Blood with them."

"No, I won't go back there mom" I say looking at her in the eyes as if defying her so refuse.

"Piper, it may not look like it but I'm worried sick about you and now more than anytime knowing that you're walking with a psychotic teenager who seems to loath some Olympians with me included among them" she says but this time I can see the worry in her voice, I've never seen my mother acting motherly but this time I was witnessing it. "But honey..." she tries to explain herself but I didn't give her the time

"No mom, we need every ally. I'm going to camp Rome to get us from camp Half-Blood a better chance and a better view of us by them because even Jerric is more or less strong, because of his behaviors the roman demigod won't accept him thus they won't accept us when the time will come for the two camps to join strength. And if I can convince Hunter to help us and lend us his strength even for a moment, it will tip the balance of the war. He maybe psycho but he's strong and trustworthy?" I say as I took both cold marble hands into mines. Mom seems to have an inner struggle about my idea but concedes with it at the end

"Tell me more about that Hunter guy" she suddenly says, as I was about to open my mouth and complain about the psycho demigod that barely smiles, that always seems to have energy to do anything with his amazing body and permanent faraway look I stop myself and I notice the smirk that she was hiding _well I won't dig my own grave, shall I?_ I asked to myself, so I say

"He's a son of god from his father side I think but they don't like each others, he's over 6 feet, muscular and tanned probably because of the road and because he like to feel the sun on his skin, he's blue eyes that sometimes tend to a sea-blue or sea-green color. Pretty..." when she took in what she said, she quickly added "Pretty good looks...no not looks, pretty good swordsmanship and if I must believe what Thalia said: _He's swordsmanship is far beyond Percy's_ which is a feat considering Percy's swordsmanship allowed him to held his ground against Titans and gods and that he was considered as the best swordsman CHB ever had." after seeing the lost look in her eyes, Aphrodite asked

"Does he have strong arms?" she said it lowly as bait to me, her daughter who jumped on it as if it was a salmon and I a kitten.

"Yeah, strong arms with well defined muscle, with good 6 pack abs." and to just to justified myself or to drown myself I say "I only saw them once when he was taking a sun bath near a river before leaving Florida" and when I saw the mischief and smile in my mother's eyes, I understood that she had me and I turned beef red which made her laugh more than before so much that she was on the ground laughing while I was pouting.

When she was over, she stood up and took off the dirt on her half naked body, she glanced at me with a smile and tells me

"Good for you, at least I don't know who this demigod is and he's too young for me, but maybe I will just wait for him to grow up a little bit to take him after all there's a quote from a French poem that says: _"Petit poisson deviendra gros pourvu que Dieu lui prête vie"_ and she winked at me at the end which just made me scream

"MOM" but my reaction only widened her stupid smirk and she just says

"Don't worry dear, he's all your...for now" I couldn't take it anymore, I didn't know if it was because she was laughing at me, or because she thought that I was thinking of Hunter as a boyfriend, or because she planned on take him from me (From You?) I tried to end the subject by asking her why was she a marble statue-like.

"It's because of the paranoiac old fool, he would've catch if I was in flesh and bones here, and there is also a meeting about that Hunter guy because apparently Hecate and Thanatos reported about him to Hades, and with Hera's report on his strength, let's just say that Zeus is more paranoiac than ever since with Percy Jackson especially that Thanatos disappeared after his report" she said the name lowly then looked at me "You know Pipes, one of Percy's closest friend knew about Annabeth and Jerric's relationship before anybody but he didn't do anything to warn Percy about it. He could have avoid his death if he told him in the beginning but he didn't" I tried to ask her who he was talking about but she just kissed my forehead and I was back at our little camping site.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Everybody was sleeping but I just couldn't, I was thinking about the team that was looking for me for who knows how much time, about what my mother told me which lead to think about Hunter, how did I see him and what decision would Zeus take about him? The thoughts of my mother or anybody taking him from me scared me but it also infuriated me because I didn't know why I felt that way. And ultimately the question that came and went in my head was who knew about Annabeth cheating on Percy? Well he'd better never admit it before Hunter because he (Percy) seemed to be someone he liked. It was still around 3 am. So could sleep again and for a dreamless hour or two. Did Hunter kidnap a god? But how could he do it while he never was far from me, at least Zeus won't asking any question as he will take him as the kidnapper. I fall asleep with all these questions which didn't find any answer.

I woke up in the morning, rather I was waked by the 8 years girl that traveled with us, I barely had the time to glance at my watch to see that it was 09:30 am, "Oh gods my training" a said enough loud for Arya to laugh and tell me that Hunter find me asleep and he thought that I was so cute asleep that he refuse to wake me up. When I heard it I was startled and it didn't help with all those things my implied yesterday in my dream that seemed to come back in my mind now. Arya laughed at my expression and says

"I was just teasing you, he actually said nothing except to let you sleep and wake you before he's back" she kept on laughing at me. I could feel the blood rushing to my face but decided to do nothing as I didn't know how Hunter would take it if I was to hit his sister.

Once she stopped laughing at me she shows me my breakfast and says that "There is a creek down there to your left if you want to wash yourself"

"Thank you, I think will first wash up before taking my breakfast" I replied to her but that just widens her smile which now was suspicious to me. But I leave it and go to the creek, I start to take off my clothes (I was already in my underwear) when something came out of the water, and that something as a certain dark brown haired demigod who only had his lower half covered by a khaki Bermuda. His eyes were still closed and I wanted to find a bush to hide myself but it was too late as he opens his eyes and sees me. I could just do it anymore because I could think any longer, his eyes were bight sea-green and then sea-blue, and they were changing from one color to another so fast that you could tell the color of his eyes.

There was a complete silence, even the birds stopped themselves. The only thing I could hear was the sound of the running water and each other's breath as we stood motionless for Zeus knows how much time. As my mother's real daughter I could help myself but check his body _"Oh gods"_ it seems the difference between what I see and what I've told my other is like the difference between the earth and the sky because he had a better body than what I described, back then it only was assumptions and lies but right now it was the real thing before me and it screamed one word: HHHHOOOOOOTTTTTTTT. He turned around leaving me to face his muscular back as he muttered

"I'm sorry I didn't know that you already waked and wanted to be down here" and I could tell that he was beef red and for myself I might be redder than a tomato. In my head, my heart's beating was far too strong to understand what he just says so I only nodded. When he added "I will leave you now" I honestly didn't heard him only later when he walked out of the water that I understood what he said.

Once out of the water and few meters from me, he says "Nice bikini" which made me blush even more than before.

"It's not a bik..." but he already was gone when I turned around to tell him that it wasn't but actually I was wearing a bikini, it seems like my mother new or planed something like this would happen today for she must have turned my underwear into a bikini one piece. "Damn you mom" I say to myself but wait I think, he didn't check even on my body when most boys do, strange, he must be a real gentleman or..."non non non je ne veux pas y penser" (I don't want to think about it) I say loudly in French.

I took my bath, and strangely the water wasn't cold as it should've been especially for a little creek like this in the middle of January. Even if we had well Hunter or Arya had a magical item that seems to heat the air around us to shelter us from the cold of the night but water seemed to have been heated up but how and by whom? That I couldn't tell.

When I finished, I went back to our camp to find Arya smirking at me but the glare she received from Hunter made it fade quickly. I observed that they were sitting quite far from each other and then it came back to me that I heard people arguing and there is no doubt in my mind that it was Hunter and Arya because she didn't warn me that Hunter was bathing in the creek.

"It seems like we had a visit of some god yesterday while we were sleeping" Hunter says as he looks at me and then point out the bag of clothes that was near my bunk and says "your mother dropped some clothes by for each one of us" it wasn't a question and I could see in his eyes that he almost ordered me to give an explanation about it but my answer clearly wasn't what he prepared himself to have.

"NOW YOU INSPECT MY BAGS? HOW DARE YOU" I scream at him but he didn't seem to care because he was still sit and looked at me as if there was no problem and it drives me even madder when he gives me that look.

He was perfectly calm when his answer came, but the sound of his voice was so cold and so sharp that it instantaneously made me stop my tantrum "I didn't have to do it as someone else took the charge of it" he casts a look on Arya and I got what he meant "But please tell us how you came afford it" he tells me with his eyes that went through my soul.

Knowing that my charm-speak has no effect on him, I decided to tell him the truth, except for the part about Thalia's team neither about mom's remark about he and I which I kept for myself. But it felt strange to hide something from him but those details were too personal and embarrassing to share and it wasn't as if the two of them were fully opened to me, and I must admit he was a good listener because not even once did he made a comment nor stopped to say something, the only things that changed about him during my '_report_' was a glare he was giving Arya to stop her whenever she wanted to interrupt me he strangely reminded me of Chiron with the way he listened to me just like Chiron did when we came back from our quest or when we told him about Dylan and the other monsters. When I finished, he just sat there with a faraway look.

"Yes I didn't expect that she felt that way, poor Nyssa." He paused, "Yes neither that there was a book or scrolls about m..." he stopped himself and I thought _about __whom__? But he wanted to say me?_ It seemed to me that he was talking to someone only he knew the presence.

"Is there someone else there" I asked him and for the first time I founded that my charm-speak could work on him because he looked at me and began to respond

"Yes there is someone else, well he's just in..." he stopped as if his senses suddenly shut out my charm-speak or as if someone shook him out of it. But he just looked at me and smirked as if saying _'Well done Piper you managed to charm-speak me congratulation to you, but unfortunately for you I'm too strong to fall in it'_ and just seeing that amusement in his eyes drove me mad and I wanted to knock him out.

And as if the even heard my silent prayer he said "Now we're gonna train take your weapon out" to me, I brought out Katoptris and took my stance. He looked at me for a moment as if trying to remember my stance or trying to find a flaw in it, but all I could see was recognition and pain and later anger but he shook himself out of his emotions. It always startles me how fast he could shift from one emotion to another, but my thoughtful must have bored him because I felt his sword on my neck and I heard his voice

"Daydreaming in battle is fatal; you must always concentrate on your enemy and never give him the time to see that kind of face"

"I wasn't daydreaming, I was just thinking about other things" I tried to defend myself but it seems to anger him as he snapped at me

"Then don't think" there was an heavy silence between us and none of us moved or tried to apologize but as I was thinking about joining Arya at whatever she was doing, he took a deep breath and said "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you" but he would look at me in the eyes thought I could see that he meant it but I didn't want to leave it like that.

"You shouldn't but you did" I paused and then snapped at him "what's wrong with you, whenever you see me with a knife you're angry at me just like yesterday. What did I do wrong?" I asked him the last part, he wanted to reply but I beat him to it the moment his mouth opened "NO" I screamed "I'm the one who's talking now, is it because my sword used to belong to Helen of Troy that you don't like it or is it because it's a daughter of Aphrodite who's carrying it" I didn't knew but at the end of my speech tears were falling of my eyes, I wanted so much to be accepted by him as his peer even if he was stronger than me, I wanted him to gaze at him just as he would at Arya but I could see that I would never impressed him, that he would never accept me and he would just look at me as a useless daughter of Aphrodite and I broke down.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

He came forward and took me in his arm as I sobbed on his chest as he was taller than me, he didn't utter a word but would just caress the back of my head or rub circles on my back, there was only the sound of my sobs but after the moment I stopped I didn't want to leave his arms because I felt so secured in them. Most of times whenever I'm around him I would feel a secured feeling even when we first met, Hunter's body glowed two feelings: security and danger. When he was fighting only the last could be felt around him. Even if there was a slightest security whenever he would look at his friends and allies. But in his arms that feeling of security was stronger a thousand times making you thinking that even a god would be able to arm you when in his arms that why I didn't want to leave his muscular arms right now.

But as always with him he got to break those peaceful moments as he looked down at me and said: "I'm really sorry Pipe" my heart made a leap in my chest as I heard him call me like that, _maybe he finally accepted me _I thought but he brought me out of my head with his voice "I...I know that I should make you responsible, it's just that I have bad memories of people who like to use knifes when they fight, but I promise that I will not to react so bad when I see it"

"You promise?" as for the first time since he began talking I looked up at him straight in the eyes. Now I could see the difference, looking at him in the eyes from far or close or a really different thing, his eyes were now sea green with a slight smear of sea blue in them. I felt as if I was looking at the peaceful ocean on a beach somewhere on sunny day of summer, on an exotic island.

"I promise" he solemnly said he tore his eyes out of mine as if being close to me like that didn't felt right for him "and just remember that I never judged you because of your parentage neither thought of you as a useless fellow. You're my peer demigod and you fight monsters and giants fiercely as few rookies would do" and he finally looked at me with a mile in his eyes before adding "even if you won't be able to beat me nor charmspeak me" he winked at me at the end.

"Oh you" I playfully hit him in the chest as faked being hurt by his word but I was happy and proud that he thought of me as his equal. I pouted for a moment and said "ok let me teach you a lesson" as I took my stance.

"Just bring it, dove girl" he said and rose his sword, he touched something and then the sword grew larger and longer, seeing my chocked and scary face at the sight of his sword he said "I'm trying to use its bigger form as I have the feeling that _we will _and probably fight other monsters and giants" _we will_ he said which meant the three of us will stay together at camp Jupiter and that thought strangely made me happier than anything but the thought of meeting other monsters or giants froze me. He must have seen my distress because he said don't worry no monster shall harm my dove girl" for a thousand of times my mind kept on repeating _my dove girl_ to me which made me have a stupid smile for a while until I felt a sword on my neck.

"You're dead miss" Hunter's voice sounded on my left ear and I shivered at the sound, "Are you cold Pipes?" he asked me with worry in his voice.

"Non, yes, no no yes" I muttered which earned me a strange look from him but I said "let's just train" but seeing as he kept looking at me strangely, I said "How come your sword can grow bigger and larger" he had a faraway look in his eyes as thinking what best answer he could give me and uttered

"Well I grumpy little voice told me about it a week ago. Since then I had been training to master it every morning as you can see it's the right size to cut down any giant immortal being" as he said it he jumped and wince for a moment as if someone shocked him or hit him but I could stop myself to think about what he said '_any giant immortal being'_ and I'm sure that he also included gods in that box which made worry for my mother but I promised myself to make peace between the gods and him whatever happened between them.

"It must have been a god" I told him referring to his 'grumpy little voice' but he negatively shook his head before replying.

"Not at all, it's far more annoying than any Olympian" once again he winced at the end of his sentence as the sky thundered loud enough that we could hear it which made me worry for him but it didn't seem to affect him that much. That's when we started our training. At first he made me attack him as he defend himself without weapon, at first I thought he wanted to humiliate me but he explained that it was to make me not underestimate someone without a weapon and not to entirely focus on my weapon or on the fact that he was weaponless. Later he started to use Rebellion as he called his sword in his gigantic form and damn he was still good with his monstrous sword but even I could tell that he wasn't as good with it as with its original form but nonetheless he defeated me a countless time.

For the whole next weeks or months as I recall, we would train early the morning and then walk for hours till down. At night we would train for an hour or two together with Arya but she would always leave us sooner to cook. Hunter was a good teacher, he would not only teach how to use a knife but he also taught the better ways to defend myself with or without my knife. At the beginning training after walking the whole was hard on my body as I was sore not only because of the walk but also because Hunter wasn't merciful in his strikes and he justified it by saying "Not monster will take pity on you, so I don't see you I should" but now I copped with it. I could see that there was more endurance in me and my body was more athletic than it was in the beginning of our journey, mother kept on sending us clothes. We would wake up in the morning with different clothes than we had when we slept which infuriated Hunter and made Arya and I laughed as he called it "violation of demigod rights and violation of his privacy" except for those that we wore, there was other clothes in a bag for our journey it was good because the clothes matched the weather of the places we crossed but it all stopped when Hunter snapped to some boys at Phoenix that left their eyes lingering too much on me in my dress, he said that if my mother didn't stop sending me those clothes, he would visit monuments of her and her favorites places at L.A. and destroy them and I think my mother got the message as she stopped but what remained in my head was when he said "After all, you're beautiful in whatever clothes you dress yourself nor however they are" and without thinking I said "the same goes for you" and the two of us blushed red as realization came down on us of what we said but Arya just smirked at us. From time to times we would meet monsters and fight them the three of us together, at the beginning I couldn't fight many monsters in the same time without getting a cut, but after few times I managed to best myself.

And then I had a dream, in that dream Hunter and I had our fingers were laced. I knew it was Hunter but he didn't look like the Hunter that I know, his hairs were pitch black as ink, still long but shorter than they are now and unruly with locks in them instead of dark brown and long. His eyes were green as when he's happy and for once there wasn't the hurt/pain, resentment and regret that are always present in them. We were both grinning like mad scientists and he had some strange clothes like in old times with a purple carp. We must have been in Rome and wondered myself if it was something that happened in the past or will happen and I secretly hoped for the later. Suddenly the couple stopped, Hunter tensed as someone else came into the view, it was a girl, taller than me with athletic build and blond hairs, and she reminded me of Annabeth I thought that it was her till when the girl said

"_You can't treat me like this, you always belonged to me. How can you humiliate me by choosing something like this over me__" could__ hear the venom in her voice when she talked of me but there was longing? When she talked __about__ Hunter. "You always loved me, and I love you too. I made I mistake but we still have the chance to build that life we dreamed so much of. We were and will always be the best team, remember all those good times and moments we shared. I'm all yours, I was your first, and let me be your last too" she pleaded._

_If she wasn't going on my 'supposed boyfriend' in my dream, I would've pity her__ and even maybe helped her to __conquer him__ once again__, but no one goes after Piper McLean's boyfriend. For a moment I could see fear and panic on my dreamlike face, and really thought that Hunter would've take her back and leave me, I almost saw tears in my eyes as I thought I lost__again someone that I thought was my boyfriend and I could see the pain in my chest as I felt him unlock his fingers from mine and I heard myself says_

"_Please not again, don't do this please..." my voice could come back as he took a foot in her direction, and I could see the pride, joy, pleasure in Annabeth's eyes and smile. I fall down and tear was coming out as water out of a fountain. And then he __turns__ around to me but my dreamlike didn't see him, he knelt before me and grabbed my forearms, I lifted my head to see his face._

"_Go, just go to her and leave me" I heard myself say and something none of the two girls would have suspected happened. Hunter kissed me full on the lips, for a moment I was shocked but as fast as lightening I wrapped my harms around his neck and kissed him back. It was the best kiss I ever had with him, and the best I ever had in my whole life, the world was no more we were alone, just the two of us. In the background I could hear Annabeth screamed and sob, the sea __was violent__, not in the angry way but in the excited way. My mind was blasted my heart stopped beating. Our kiss in my view lasted for days, no weeks until we pulled back and I had the stupidest goofy grin a mad girl could had, and I could my dreamlike thought the same of Hunter's as he had his back to the real me._

_Hunter said "you're my dove __girl» and__ then leaned in and my dreamlike thought that he wanted to kiss her but instead, he licked my tears and kissed them at the same time going from the cheek to th__e right eye and then did the__ same thing to the other side. Oh gods, his sweet lips and gentle tongue blazed my cheeks on fire and I shivered at the feeling. So sweet, so good, so right, so...I didn't want him to stopped and I even forced some tears to fall as he finished lick-kissing me. When he saw the new tears, he just grinned at me and said _

"_Again? Here I go" he obligated himself I rejoice but pouted once it was other because there was no more tears in eyes to bring out, no more pain in my heart to make me cry, no more thought in my head to make them fall, too much joy in my heart to make me cry. I could feel people not far from us and looking at our spectacle, some were happy, others jealous but I didn't care about any of them, because I was in my world with my wonderful boyfriend. And then__,__ that boyfriend too__k__ something in the back pocket of his jean_...before I could see what it was, someone splashed cold water on me. "NNNNOOOOOO"

I jumped to see Hunter as I knew him grinning at me "you had quite a disturbing dream, at first you were with a big happy smile, then cried and muttered _"Go, just go to her and leave me"_ as the weakest girl I ever seen. And then full happiness with the stupidest grin I ever seen on anybody." the way he made my pouting-crying face made Arya and me laughed "You were so happy that even us were happy although Arya and I argued before waking you. What kind of dream was it?" he asked but I just smiled at him and went to the river to take a bath. I was the happiest that week and my charm-speak was then thousand times stronger.

Hunter kept on calling me 'Dove girl' which always made me happy even if I still hadn't find a name for him as I was able to fully understand him yet. But I kept on thinking about the dream and why did Annabeth fight me over a boy when she already has a boyfriend, _No it wasn't her, probably another child of Athena_ I thought but I vowed to myself not to let Hunter leave me for his ex like in my dream. I remember a night few weeks after the beginning of my training as we reached Texas, around our fire which separated Arya and I as Hunter wasn't there, probably went to hunt, Arya talked to me saying

"So how is your training going dove girl" suddenly a stupid grin was on my face and I turned around to look at Hunter but when I realized that it was Arya who called me like that my grin disappeared and tried not to blush at her knowing smirk.

"Good" I managed to tell her "just don't call me like that" I told her and she nodded but suddenly grinned at me.

"Why? Because I'm not your wonderful teacher" she asked innocently and I blushed, when she saw it she only laughed louder which made me blush even more "ok, ok, ok" she said as she tried to calm herself. "I must tell you something that you might not like" she said as she looked up at me.

Fear found its way in my heart as I suspected that it was most likely about the one thing I dreaded the most since the beginning of my training. "What is it?" I asked her as I swallowed hard prepared myself for the heartbreaking news.

"Hunter and I shall leave once we reach camp Jupiter" she said with a sorry look in her eyes

"But why? Why can't you just stay with me? Why can't we stay together in camp Jupiter?" I screamed the last part.

"We may not share the same blood but Pe- Hunter is my brother, and he doesn't like the company of half-bloods that much neither their parents. Romans are known to be proud, violent and taunting." she inhaled briefly and asked "How do you think Hunter will react to all of it? He will cut one of them and even if it isn't to death the others shall react as their fathers and mothers who areas much violent if not more and it will end up in a bloodbath. I don't even imagine when he will meet neither Jerric nor the other Greek demigods. It's better for us to leave than to stay there and even he knows it" but I didn't want to sit and just listen to her;

"But why doesn't he tell me? Gaea will hunt you down without the protection of the camp. Why can't he just cope with them and the gods he's one of them and one of their child" I fought back and for a moment she looked at me as if I was dense or stupid and their her expression changed to a sympathetic one.

"Don't you remember how he reacted to Hera herself who's the Queen of the Heaven? Now tell me how would he react to the others knowing that there are a few of them that he hate passionately" at this I lost my voice, of course I remember his encounter with Hera, it felt as if we had another Hunter before us once he stood before her, there was so much violence, hatred and venom in his voice as in his eyes that it shook us all, even Leo was lost and as to prolong my surplice she added "As for your first question, he didn't tell you because he care about you as he hasn't care for anybody since a long time" but I barely heard her because my mind was shot down by all the information it kept on remembering. I didn't utter a word for the rest of the night even when Hunter came back, I was just like a zombie or a mechanic for the following next two days as I barely slept, talked or ate even when Hunter asked me something I would just looked at him as if I didn't understand what he said.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

It had been 2 or 3 weeks since my talk with Arya and whenever I would look at Hunter my stomach would felt as if in knots or on fire, whenever we would talk or laughed that conversation would come back in my mind and I would felt as if crying. Hunter refused to go near Las Vegas as he said it was a dangerous place for demigods and that he would only set a foot there if it was a matter of life or death so we all avoid Vegas as in it was a raptor. One night a hunter went to look for food, three people appeared out of the shadows and bushes, and it was Thalia, Nico and Clarisse. The last two almost attacked Arya when Thalia stopped them.

"Stop" she went near Arya and said "you're the girl that was with that Hunter guy right?" and Arya just nodded as she came out of Clarisse's strong hand that grabbed her earlier, "good I wanted to ask you if you wanted to join the Hunters of Artemis" Thalia told her which startled the rest of us.

"No I won't" Arya said and unfortunately for Thalia just as she about to try to convince her, Arya added "And don't even try to convince me because I know the speech even too well to fall for it" which shut Thalia and made the other two laugh.

"That's a fierce one for you Thalia, I think she will prefer Camp Half-Blood" Clarisse said while laughing but stopped when Arya said

"Nor your damn backstabbing camp" which made Nico and Thalia snick at her

"So Piper what happened to you after getting kidnapped" Thalia asked me as everyone settled down near the fire. I explained them what happened and told them that we were heading for camp Jupiter and that Arya and Hunter were escorting me.

"Are yo sure about it Piper?" Nico asked me as if the thought didn't enchanted him, but I just nodded to him and he shrugged.

"Damn" Clarisse muttered "All this time to find you and bring you back to camp and the little miss says she can't go back with us" Clarisse angrily said but Thalia stopped.

"I understand you Clarisse, but she managed to survive this long with them without our help. If the earth wasn't able to get to her maybe we should let her with them. After all she's going to be at the other camp which will give her the same protection as CHB" Thalia said.

"But it can be dangerous..." Nico insisted

"No, remember the prophecy? As long she stays with that Hunter guy, he won't be our enemy. Trust me, that guy is strong and nuts. You don't want to have him as your enemy and his swordsmanship is beyond Percy's and a doubt that the combination of Percy's and Luke's swordsmanship won't be able to take him down. He's a freak" Thalia said as she recalled the events at the Wolf's House.

"He's that much strong or he does just scare you" Clarisse taunting Thalia but she did as if she didn't heard him as someone else replied.

"What Thalia saw, was a child splay he's worst than it. That I guarantee you" Arya said with a feline smile and just that thought made Thalia visibly gulped.

Clarisse just laughed and said "So where is that Hunter guy" and a reply came from the sky "Here to serve you" as Hunter jumped from a tree on Clarisse who just have the time to avoid him.

When he fell and tried to stand, Clarisse used that moment to try to maim him with her spear but he grabbed him and stopped it. Meanwhile Thalia brought out her spear, seeing it, Hunter rose "Maimer" along with a startled Clarisse who didn't released it and bumped them into Thalia which knocked the two demigoddesses for a moment. Nico jumped in the nearest shadow and just grabbed with his bare hand a few piece of the burning woods that were red in the fire and threw them on the shadow behind just one second later Nico came out of that shadow a got the red woods on the head and shoulders which made him scream but Hunter hit on the chin with his foot and went to the girls that came to their mind but before any of them could stand, Hunter still with Maimer in his hand, threw water on them and kicked Clarisse on the head as she tried to stand from Thalia who was under her, he putted the spear on Thalia's neck and said

"If you move, I'll maim your neck and if you think that your lightning bolt is faster, you go for it because as wet as you friend is I have no doubt that she will make a nice fried dish for the first monsters that will find her" his voice was cold and I had no doubt that his eyes were the same. That feeling of dangerous was screamed by his body and whole stance.

"Stop it" I screamed at him and for the first time my charm-speak completely worked on him. Now I could see the result of all the training he made me do during countless hours and days paying off. He stopped and glanced at me as I was walking a groggy Nico.

"It's just so that she won't try something stupid. But I will stop" he said with a sweet voice which made Arya and I gaped at him with open mouths as a couple of fishes out of water, but he violently shook his head and came out of my charm-speak "Congratulation" he said with a smile that made my knees go weak, with I replied with one.

He left the two girls as I settled Nico on my couch, and Arya and I fed him ambrosia and nectar as another poured some on his burns while the two girls stood helping each other, Hunter told them to sit on Arya's bunk which made her winced but said nothing. The two girls stood far away from Hunter and I could see that they were scared of him but who wouldn't, the way he took the three of them down so fast was inhuman, two experienced children of the Big Three and a daughter of the war god without even his sword or any weapon of his own, quite a feat but the only one who wasn't impressed was Arya and it scared me to think that he did something(s) worse than that.

After finishing with Nico, we went to the girls and healed them, Nico was looking at Hunter not only as if he was someone he knew but also as if he was a monster. But what worried me was when Hunter came to us with the spear in his hand, for a moment I thought that he would spear them and the same was for Thalia, Nico and Clarisse once again except for Arya. I stood up to protect them and said

"Stop please" but he just winced at my tone and I could see confusion in his eyes and later hurt for I thought he would kill them which made me shame for not trusting him but he gave to Clarisse and said

"You're a real daughter of the war. A warrior shan't ever leave his weapon to the enemy, though today you should have." Clarisse took her weapon suspiciously as if expecting some bad trick but he left once she took it and we all release a breath that we ignore restraining.

"I thought he came to kill us" said Thalia which made us all nodded

"Then you're all stupid" Arya defended him looking at me straight in the eyes "He isn't a murderer" she said and then left us angrily and disappeared behind bushes.

"She may say it but the look I saw in his eyes..." Thalia said, she paused before adding "He only looked at me like that, none of you got it...as if he had a problem with me personally" she was right because each one of us saw it, it was a dangerous look full of venom, reproach and hatred but none of them new why Thalia deserved it, even herself didn't know the reason behind or maybe just she didn't recall it.

_**PERCY'S POV**_

I left to look for something to hunt but as soon as I was away I find myself lost in my thoughts, I knew that people were after us and they weren't totally monsters because they paused sometimes but what worried me the most was that we lost quite a lot of time in the few weeks the training delayed us but there was no choice, she had to be strong to b accepted among the Romans and my job was to get her ready. I was thankful of Aer's help; her knowledge of roman culture came in hands many times. But how will tell _her _that I won't be going with her till camp Jupiter, I had no idea. As usually my peaceful moments were never eternal.

"_My, my, my. If it's not the great Perseus Jackson himself thinking about a girl...hey what that thing about your peaceful moments is_" the stalker in my head said. _"I heard that"_

"Well if I thought it, it was so that you could hear it. And yes you never leave me alone or just in peace" I replied exasperated of his constant speeches.

_"Once you're dead, you'll have all the peace could want. Until then you're my entertainment"_ he said but I wasn't going to back down to his stupidity.

"If I was dead, I wouldn't be stalked by my great great grandfather who doesn't know the meaning of intimacy nor privacy" I replied

"_Oh but do you really think that it would've been better if I left you dead, then tell who would've save your precious McLean"_ he said with a smirk that I was imagining.

"Oh shut up, she's not my precious...I feel like I'm that monster in _The Lord of the Rings_ with all his precious" I thought and then I said "she would've been saved by someone else" but I wasn't convince by my own answer

_"And by the way, she's got a nicer body now after your training, with her always wearing short...well no doubt you barely sleep"_ and it laughed. _"Wasn't your training just to shape that body of her"_ I said after a moment of pause.

And like some stupid drunk I said "Yes she's got a nic-" I stopped myself as I thought about what I would've said "YOU SICK PERVERT" I screamed in my mind for him "It's not her body that stops me when I try to sleep" I told him but I should've known the man by now because it only got worse.

_"Yes it's only her face, and her delicious lips that tell: 'Kiss me, kiss me'"_ and then he laughed as I turned red because of my blush.

"Remind me once all this shit is over, I will send you into a psychiatric hospital" I told him as I went back to our camp, but as I got near I saw shapes that had weapons and one had Aer by her shirt. I climbed a tree and listen to them, when I thought it was enough I heard a voice that I recognize but couldn't name said: "So where is that Hunter guy" and I said : "Here to serve you" as I jumped on them aiming for the bulky form that threatened Aer. It was only in the middle of the fight that I recognized them: Clarisse, Nico and...My _dear cousin_ Thalia.

I must admit that when I had Maimer on Thalia throat, I was tempted to push it deeper. I even hoped for her to summon her lightening so that I could have a reason to kill her but I couldn't stop seeing the good times we had together, I could even see her crying at my funerals. It was probably Chaos that poured all those things in my mind to stop me from killing her, but at the end it was the voice of an angel that brought me back from the dungeon of blood lust I was locked in and then I remember how much Clarisse had been a friend to me even if nobody knew of our friendship, in the corner of the eyes I saw Nico being lifted by Pipes and I decided that there had been enough commotion for the night. After the fight when I went to give Clarisse back her spear, I could see that they all were scared of me as if I wanted...to kill they and realization came down on me by Piper's plea. Waouh even her think that much of me, it pain me to that look in her eyes, more than the ones in Clarisse and Nico's eyes, then I left. I went to meditate near a river as it calmed me down.


	24. Chapter 24

******Sorry for not posting for so long, but my exams were longer than expected and i had to take a break after all the work i had to pull. good news is that during all that time I tried to write a couple of things now they're all yours. Thank you all and each one of you for your messages and reviews, even if i don't like having too much of them it's always good to have people supporting you telling useful things.**

**I'll make it sure so that nobody is gonna ask me about it again later:**

**Piper, Hazel, Jerric and Frank will know Hunter's true identity during their quest (It will be an exceptional 6 men quest) and it all will be thanks to Gaea (isn't she cool :P) thought Piper will suspect it and that Hazel like Nico will found out that he smells like the dead and that Frank and her will see how uncomfortable Hunter or Alexander as he shall be called in Rome (because or Arum and Argtum, I chose it as Percy's second name same as his grandfather making him be: Perseus Alexander Jackson) is with Percy (see in the last chapter) I won't make Percy forgiving them fast and I will explain his behavior around Piper. Those who'll seek for the graecus part well I won't put them too much confusing sometimes so they will be shown as flashbacks once on their way to jupiter or after settling there.**

**ENOUGH NO MORE SPOILERS AND SEE YOU IN 1 MONTH?**

**Ps**_**Evamaster, you got too many ideas that are like mine so please don't write about them too much ;)**_

**Chapter 24**

Piper suddenly felt bad after Aer's outburst, she left the girls side and when into the dark to look for Hunter, she didn't know where he went because there was no real path so she just walk out with her instinct as it was the only choice for her. She wandered for a moment until she heard voices, Hunter and Arya's voices and she followed the sounds to find the two siblings near the creek. From where she was and from the sound of their voices she could tell that the two of them were in a heated argument.

"...No I won't do it...and I don't...remind...me" Hunter's voice said and she heard Arya screamed at him.

"You know what; I don't care about all of it. Do as you want but in the end you know what will happen. Nothing good can come out from that place neither from that accursed daughter of hers" Arya angrily told him "You may have lost it but she's your heel" she added.

_'that accursed daughter of hers'_ Piper thought to herself, she wondered if Arya could be talking about her and then she remembered what she said before storming out of their improved camp _"Then you're all stupid especially you Piper" Arya defended him looking at me straight in the eyes "He isn't a murderer, to think for a moment I thought that you could help him" she said and then left us angrily and disappeared behind bushes._

_'She's your heel'_ her mind kept on repeating to her as she tried to listen to what they were saying. When she glanced at them, the two of them were facing each other like wild cats, ready to jump at each other's throats but something seemed to prevent them from doing so. Then Arya 'humfed' him and left him, she only did four footsteps before stopping herself and looking at him without turning her whole body to face him. Hunter was still tense, tenser than when they were arguing. He seemed to wait for something harsher than what they exchanged and Piper felt, no was sure that something crucial would be said now. Arya didn't seem to notice how much he was tense; she only gave him a weary smile before saying:

"Well it's your life, but you and I both know that if you get there, you will have to fight at your _whole_ level which will lead you to tell them what...no more like who you really are and there will be no way in hell to avoid it" she sighs as she saw that Hunter didn't try to reply to her nor made any move to stop her neither leave so that he could not listen to her.

"_Right on the spot"_ the voice said in his mind, _"did I tell you that I like this little girl?"_ It kept on as if he had all the time of the world.

"_Oh you just shut up"_ he said to it as he tried to stay focused on what Aer was saying

"...you will have to meet all of them, and sooner or later they will try to hurt you once again especially if you're there with _her_even her own mother. _Mother_ and _daughter_ (which she spat) will hurt you no matter what you do, you'll have to face _her_" she turned around to completely face her way ahead, right before her and added "I really like you _Soldier_ or should I say _Destroyer_ that's why I want to avoid you this pain. To live in peace and have the luck your mother predestined you to have in your life, just like your name sake. You can't serve two masters and try to be your own in the same time"

"_Heed the words of your elders, because there's wisdom in them youngsters"_ it made a lame attempt of haiku in his mind before laughing at itself which only infuriated Percy thus keeping from clearly listening to Aer "_wisdom in perversity yeah"_ he thought.

"That wouldn't be a hero's life if there was a few moments of pain" he said to her with a sorry smile but didn't made any attempt to move, he remained on his spot looking at her and waiting for what she would say.

"A few moments of pain my ass; yours weren't little moments of pain like the other puny heroes got in their life. Your whole life was made of pain, your stepfather, monsters, threats, betrayals, even the greatest level of pain one could inflict himself without even counting what they did to you those last months" she said to him.

"Well I'm not some puny hero" he said for his defense

"Hell" she screamed at him "You know what I'm talking about" _"You know what she's talking about (the voice repeated after her)_ she furiously added.

With those last words she left him to his mind but not before noticing the little bolt he had when she mentioned the _two masters_, but her job here was almost over. She looked right before her as she walked, her eyes cast to the bush few yards before her and it's only at that moment that Piper noticed that Arya's eyes bore directly in hers she gasp lowly but was sure that Arya heard her as she saw a slight smile taking place on her little girl's face. She walked past the bush that was hiding Piper but slowed her footsteps as she got at its level. Without even looking at Piper she said:

"If I were you I would leave him alone for now, he has a lot to think about. Especially after what you did to him" she said the last part coldly and looking at Piper right in her eyes and for the second time since she knew Arya, Piper saw that her eyes looked older than what that tiny little body could tell her, and they left their warm blue color to wear an icy blue one that sent shivers on Piper's spine. Then she left her behind her hiding place heading for their campsite.

It was only once Arya disappeared behind her back that she could calm herself, but then she understood that Arya knew all along during their argument that there was someone eavesdropping on them, someone who was more or less responsible of their situation which was herself. If Arya knew that she was there, why didn't she just stop talking and tell Hunter that she was spying on them? She asked herself, but the answer came fast in her mind, almost as if someone was whispering it to her: Arya wanted her to hear them; she wanted her to know some things about him. And some of those words were meant to her as much as they were to Hunter. But a thousand questions seemed to pop in her mind: who or what really is Hunter, what is he hiding from her at this she knew the answer or rather it 'popped' in her mind: A LOT MORE THAN YOU CAN EXPECT.

Why did Arya hate her and her mother: well for her mother she understood as she herself sometimes seemed to hate her but what about Arya she wondered; and the name or names she called Hunter: _Soldier/Destroyer_ those were probably his true name(s) but knowing that he didn't share them with her was like a betrayal to her which kinda disappointed her and hurt her more than she could afford to acknowledge to anybody. She felt tears in her eyes as she thought that none of them really trusted her when she did thought of them trustworthy with her whole life. Just thinking that she told them everything that was on her heart, even her doubts and fears she felt angry, more angry than she ever left with anybody she was red with anger, the only thing missing was steam coming out of her nostrils and ears, she clenched her fist _"stupid Hunter, stupid Arya and foolish Piper"_ she thought to herself and she heard a voice said "Foolish you" which made her jump from her hiding place and spun around herself to see if somebody was behind her but there was nothing. She place it to the evil earth goddess "Gaea" she said.

She quickly remembered that she was insight of Hunter but lucky for her he couldn't see her as his back was facing her neither did he heard her gasp judging by the fact that he didn't turn around. But those two things seemed to fuel her anger against him, she angrily walked in his direction and stopped when she remembered Arya's words, but they couldn't sooth her anger never that feeling of betrayal that was tugging in her stomach. But who was she to feel angry against them she asked herself, after all she knew about Thalia's search team and she didn't utter a word about them to Arya or Hunter. She sigh before taking a deep breath, it was only at that moment that Hunter knew about her presence behind him as he glance at her over his shoulder but went back to his thoughts when he looked far away before him.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

"_When did she get here"_ he asked himself "_but for now I don't want to see her..._" he thought to himself as he recalled the look she had in her eyes moments ago when he went to give back 'Maimer' to Clarisse "_...after all I'm just a killer, to think that I thought she knew me more than that_" he bitterly added before getting back to what Aer told him but it was without counting on our _dear friend_ **Chaos'** come back,

"_And how in the hundred hells is she suppose to know or think more about you when she doesn't even know who you are?_" the voice sighs and add "_Give the little princess a break, you're the secretive one here_"

"_Well, look who is back here_" Percy sarcastically told him "_I don't want you too to lecture me, one immortal was enough for me_" he added.

"_You should mind your manners boy, it's not because I appreciate your show that I wouldn't mind your tone_" he sharply said to him. Percy tensed for an instant but after that calmed himself and said:

"_I'm sorry_" he paused for a moment before adding "_I don't think that I can do it till camp Jupiter, trust them and later meet with the others without thinking of killing them or what they did to m_e" he rose his head weary of everything "_instead of uniting them..I will divide them because I can't just forget nor forgive them, and more importantly, I'm not ready to meet them_" he said the last words with shame as if he was too big to fight them."

There was a long pause from Chaos side before saying "_You also thought that you weren't ready for your first quest and if I remember correctly either did our butt horse master...Chiton_"

Percy laughed for a moment and said: "_it was Chiron and not Chiton you dimwit_" he was sure that Chaos did it on purpose to lighten his mood and it worked for a moment, the thought of his old master brought a smile on Percy's lips but it quickly vanished "_to tell them what...no more like who you really are and there will be no way in hell to avoid it_" "_you'll have to face her_" but to him it was more like you'll have to face them ALL. He also sometimes felt bad for keeping the truth about his identity from Piper, but telling her the truth would lead to some immortals visiting and he wanted naught to do with the lot of them.

As there was no answer or reply from "_The Voice_" he turned his thoughts to what Aer just told him choosing to ignore the presence of Piper few meters behind him. He let himself wander in each sentences, each words and he could only see that she was worrying about him, that she care but above everything else that she was right but he wouldn't just admit it before her. But he was also worried about Piper, about what she thinks of him and it scared him that he cared so much about her _"You have to stick the plan" _but deep inside him he could tell that the plan wasn't any longer followed since these last months he had been traveling with her and now he had to make difficult choices had he could feel that the voice found it particularly funny his struggle with himself, he suddenly thought about his dear mother "_To live in peace and have the luck your mother predestined you to have in your life..._" yes she wanted her dear son to lead an happy life so that his death wouldn't be hard on her. She wanted him to grow old and if it wasn't the case that he could at least grow to have a family even if she knew that heroes lifespan wasn't long especially those of the big three that's why most of time they were parents when still teenagers but some kind of twist of fate she died before him, the fates clearly have crazy sense of humor. If someone told Sally Jackson or Perseus himself that after all the kidnappings, monsters, threats and the TW II that she would die before her son, that person would've been seen foolish but it wasn't the case.

Percy turned around himself to see that Piper was still behind him, she stopped herself from getting closer to him and sat on a rock not too far from him so that she would not trouble him when lost in his thoughts but would still remain in enough voice range to call after him before he would move because she was sure that he would try to avoid her so she waited for him, and right there she was still waiting for him to acknowledge her presence after almost half an hour. Her waiting for him for so long didn't look too good for Percy as he could only meant many words and sentences, even if she was a interesting girl to talk with, she wasn't the type to talk nonstop as some of her siblings neither did she gossip. So to him her presence meant that either she had more questions to which he would have to think a lot to answer without giving too much details about himself, or she must have heard their conversation which he wasn't sure but he guessed that she was here to talk about what happened this evening and he didn't want to talk about it. The two of them were up and facing each other for gods know how much time, there was some kind of tension and an awkward silence between them saved for the insects that were flying.

Piper took the initiative as she thought that she was the one who should apologize first but as she came forward him, he averted his eyes from hers and made an attempt to go on his right but a powerful voice stopped him.

"Stop" Piper commanded him using her charm-speak to her highest level as she knew that Hunter was most of times immune to it or was able to break from it faster than anyone she had charmspoken.

Percy looked at her dreaming look as he obeyed to her before shaking himself out of it "You dare to charm-speak me when I want to be left alone?" he angrily ask her with a disbelieving look in his eyes for what she did.

"_Damn I knew he wouldn't like it_" she sigh in her mind, "_gods why boys were made so dense_" she wondered "_and why only what she attracted by the ones that were more dense than anybody when it came to girls_" she asked herself before saying: our face

"I'm sorry for charm-speaking you but we had to talk." she paused as she looked at him in the eyes "And I knew that you would've left if I didn't stop you. Isn't it true?" she asked him as she averted her eyes from his to look on the ground before her.

"Maybe it's because there is nothing to talk about or because I just don't want to talk" he replied to her and there was finality in his voice as much in his eyes. She was hurt by his tone but decided to not show it to him "_You knew that it wouldn't be simple Pipes, it's now or never" she said to herself to cheer up_" He walked past her and once again she stopped him.

I said I wanted to talk to you. If you don't want to talk fine, but I will and you'll listen to what I have to say" she told him with authority in her voice and little bit of anger in it. "_What the heck, who do he think he is. It's not because he has good looks that I will let him step on me_" she said to herself "_he doesn't impress me (Lies) now I'm the boss_" she kept on saying to herself. "Look, it's not easy for me to force you to stand here before me thanks to my charm-speak but I have...we have to talk. Can you please turn around so that I can see your face when I'm talking to you" she said in a normal voice except the last part that was an order imbued with her charm-speak. She patiently waited for him to turn around so they could see each other's eyes.

"_Turn around young man and fight your girlfriend_" the voice mentally told Percy as he was struggling not to turn around, he was fighting her charm-speak order and it was getting harder for him to fight it or to just resist to it these last few weeks, even if the "training" he had been giving her made her power stronger, there was an unknown reason to him that made it far so effective on him and these...

"_Turn around and face her you stupid boy. Do you think that Sally would've been so proud of you if she knew your making this girl's life an hell for the sin another one made? It's obvious that she likes you, if you don't want to respond to her feelings, have at least the decency to look at her when she talks to young man_" the voice rebuked him for his lack of manners which only made him smile as for once he thought that the voice was right "NO. I'm ALWAYS right" the voice seriously replied to his thoughts.

"_Hell no, you're not and this is only THE exception that confirms the rule. Besides you're always talking about perverted things or stupid ones when you're not stalking_" he said, but before the voice could talk back at him he added "_I'm grateful that you was there to light my ways_" then he turn around to look at Piper who was waiting for him and he could tell by her look that she was angry and annoyed to have been waiting for him to turn around even if her facial expression was slightly showing it. He couldn't stop himself to find her cute.

"I'm sorry for the way I reacted; it was rude for me to ignore you when you only wanted to talk. I'm really sorry" he said before she could say any word.

"_Yes good boy_" the voice smirked at him but the way he said those words, Percy was sure that the voice thought of another word instead of _boy_ which annoyed him but he didn't let it be shown fearing that Piper would misunderstood it, and thought really less of his apologizes.

At first Piper was angry that he talked just before she could do so, but hearing him apologizing was quite a shock to her as she never heard him apologize to anyone even to Hera and it made her feel _special_ and happy to know that he apologized to her even if she would have preferred if he apologized for ignoring her few days ago but she could see that it was enough for a beginning and now it seemed easier for her to apologize to him for her reaction when he only tried to give back Maimer to its owner _Don't feel too much sorry for him Pipes, he might just be tempting you be aware of him_ she thought to herself but she was ready to give him a chance.

"I too I'm sorry..."she began but Percy cut her

"No you don't have to be it's nothing" he said trying to persuade her but she wouldn't just let him shrugged it off as if it was a useless question that was asked to him.

"No, I'm really sorry that I doubted you and thought that you wanted to kill them...even if you didn't really hold your hand back against Thalia" she trailed the last part. At the mention of Thalia's name she saw Percy tensed but let it go as she didn't want another argument between them. For a moment there was no sign of life from Percy as he didn't breath neither move then he said

"You're forgiven if you forgive me" he said with a small smile appearing of his lips.

"Done" Piper said without even thinking about it, only then she registered that there was tears on Percy's cheeks even if most of them disappeared, few remained and only then she understood why he was so silent moments ago. Unconsciously to her, her hand rose and reached his cheek to wipe the line left by his tears and then caress it.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

At first Percy tensed when he saw her hand trying reach his cheek, and then tensed at the contact as he fight himself not to escape but Piper didn't seem to register it as she tenderly run her thumb along the trail left by his tears. He could feel the warm of her fingers and palm on his skin. Without even knowing what they were doing, the two leaned toward each other and..._**Bang, the earth swallowed Piper leaving Percy kissing the air "NNNOOOOOO" the voice and he screamed**_ (just joking :P)

...and their lips met, clashed and it was a wonderful feeling for them, there was no more Chaos in head (_"Hey"_), no more worry about a certain earth goddess, no more noisy brat, no gods, no demigods, just this warm feeling they were enjoying. There was a blinding light in their heads so much that it almost crushed Chaos in Percy's head, and whatever the creator tried to tell him was lost. They unknowingly lean on the dirt with Piper on top _"Please mom, let it not only be a dream please"_ she pleaded to her mother as she was enjoying the taste of Percy's lips. She found herself smiling as she thought that all the training, walks and even tension was worth this feeling, this moment. Percy couldn't help himself than smile as he tasted her which also made Piper smile, none of them broke the kissing all this time which resulted in the two of them without any oxygen in their lungs. Piper was the one who broke the kiss as she could keep on any more, her hairs fell on her face and some on Percy's, she smile at him as she put some behind her right ear and Percy gave her back her smile by showing her his pearl white teeth and she could see that his eyes had a sea-green color in them and they shined as she never saw them, and for a moment they looked like someone else eyes.

She tried once again to kiss him but as she learned, Percy rolled them and ended up on top of her as she was below him, she just gave him a goofy smile and put her arms around his neck and leaned to catch his lips Percy avoid her and took off her arms still smiling at her and crossed them above her head, maintaining them with one of his hand making of her his prisoner. To that Piper answered by locking her legs around his waist which only made Percy smirked at her action, he leaned and kissed her passionately. The lock on Piper's hand loosed and she took the chance to run her fingers through his messy brown hairs. Their kiss was getting hotter and she cut the kiss to take her breath, Percy looked down on her and his smile suddenly disappeared, something flashed in his eyes and said:

"I can't"

"WHAT" _"WHAT"_ Piper and the voice both said at the same time.

He took her arms off of him and stood up saying "I can't do it, I'm sorry Piper" he walked back and turn around so that her back was facing her.

"_What in hell? I brought out the pop-corn and everything"_ the voice said

"What? Why?" Piper asked him with tears in her eyes, as her worst nightmare was coming true "Do I kiss badly? Was it too much, please tell me" she pleaded as tears were pouring out of her eyes.

"It's not you...it's me" he whispered.

"What about you Do you have a girlfriend you had to go back to?" she angrily asked and you could feel the venom and disgust for that "supposed" girlfriend of his, but Percy didn't seem to register it or if he did, he made no sign of it.

"_Dear me, don't tell that it's about that blond-ass of yours"_ Chaos told him but Percy here too chose to ignore him.

"No...You...you" he muttered as he couldn't think right but Piper wasn't the type to wait

"Me what?" she spat at him "What's wrong with you? One moment you're ok and then it's not ok, and the worst of it is that you are not even able to tell me what's wrong. What should I do? AND FACE ME GODDAMIT" she asked/screamed as she was now crying.

Percy turned around to see her and her sight broke his heart, he walked to her and engulfed her in a warm hug.

"You were perfect and there is no one else in my life" he said as he grabbed her shoulders with both his hands to look at her face. When he said _"You were perfect"_ Piper's heart stopped beating and she calmed down a moment.

"But..." she uttered for him as she looked at him right into his eyes to seek the truth out of them but she could feel it in his voice as much in eyes as he didn't back down before her fiery look.

"But I can't stay with you. Once we reach camp Jupiter, once it's in sight we shall part our ways" he said as he looked beside him, and you could see one tear running on one of his cheek. He wiped it with the back of his hand and stood still without looking at her he just whispered "I'm going back with the others..." he didn't want to look at Piper's face, he knew that he would find tears and they would be like a dagger to his heart.

"_What in hell is that? You have the girl and you chicken out?" _the voice tells him but Percy chooses to ignore it_ "I had the pop-con and coke but now they will be cold...should I remind you that you're supposed to be my "entertainment" and as hell now you're not entertaining me with your stupidity." _

"_I thought a little bit of drama was welcome for you..." _Percy angrily tells and he adds_ "...you should've left me dead, at least I would be in peace with people that really love me...not here "entertaining" some old immortal bored out of his mind who's trying to direct my life" _he bitterly says the last part and there was a deafening silence from the said immortal.

Piper just sat there looking at the standing form of a possible/potential (ex-)boyfriend of hers, she brought her knees to her torso and wrap her arms around them as she putted her chin on her knees blinking back her tears, she swore to herself that she never again show any sign of weakness since she decided to go to Rome _"I refuse to give him the satisfaction of seeing me crying because of him..."_ she could feel anger rose deep inside her, she was angry against the Fates _"stupid hoes»_ she thought of them, against her mother for making her taste a meal she wouldn't eat, for showing a wonderful dream and then brutally walking her out of it but she all those feelings were nothing before how she felt about Hunter _"That accursed boy" _she spat_ "not even able to do the right, do I have to scream my lungs out that I love him?" _she bitterly said_, "Why is it always me, why can't I have the people I like for myself, what in Zeus' name did I do to deserve this?"_ at the end of her silent exchange she almost broke down but fought against her tears.

She glanced up at Percy from the corner of her eyes and saw for a moment a panic look crossing his face and barely heard him cursed "shit" as he ran to their campsite. She didn't have the time to ask him what was wrong but only saw him taking a hairpin out of his _braid _? That she didn't notice on the back of his head "_a hairpin?_" she thought to herself but Percy was already out of her voice's reach. She quickly stood and run after him with her dagger already in her hand. Before even reaching their campsite she could hear yells, screams and sounds metal noise. Once she got there, she slowed down and registered what she was seeing; there was a dozen of monsters of different kinds: ogres, giants wearing shirts that were way too small for them with big muscles and they looked like terminator in a kid's shirt, there was also snake woman which she didn't remember names.

Thalia was fighting more monsters than she had arms to do so, with her scary looking shield which had Medusa's screaming head on it and from where she stood, Piper could smell ozone and lightening burst out of her spear lighting the dark night and suddenly there was more monsters than she counted thanks to the light. Far on her right she could see Clarisse fighting couple of ogres with her spear by herself and judging by her facial expression you could tell that she was enjoying the challenge even she was running her spear through them, leave it to a child of Ares to enjoy such a thing. Few feet behind her Nico was holding his own against dracaenas by himself with his pure black sword. His always scared her though she never knew why and that since the first time she saw it, his swordsmanship wasn't bad although far bellow Hunter's. For a moment she thought of joining him to help as he looked overwhelmed by the monsters but stopped when she saw him stab his sword on the ground as if there was a monster as he screamed: "SERVE ME" that was the moment she understood how scary and dangerous Nico really was even if he already looked dangerous and gave her a sentiment of uneasiness. Out of the ground, undead soldiers of every great and old country busted out: Romans, Greeks and Napoleon's legions. She almost thought of running out of there screaming out her lungs as a mad girl, she felt as if she was watching some horror movie late in the night as the undead soldiers took on the closest monsters to them. _"Maybe I should tell dad about Nico so that he can summon real undead for his next movie"_ she could see Nico playing the character of the son of the devil or some kind of demon "It took you enough time Death Breath" Thalia screamed at him as she struggled against an ogre that clung on her shield out of fear as if shoving back the scary looking Medusa but as she saw him breathing she didn't look surprised. One of the monsters sneaked behind him to impale him on its spear and an ogre at the same time raised its bulky mace to smack him.

"Noooo, watch out Nico" she screamed at him as she ran to his aid but the damned boy didn't to seem to mind her as he only looked at her as if just taking notice of her presence just like the others and monsters did. She then knew that she was charm speaking as she screamed but Nico stayed still on the dirt and then the earth shook for a moment, Piper expected Gaea's dirt body to bust out of the ground but it only delayed the two monsters behind Nico for a moment but enough for him to come out of her charm-speak and just as the weapons were about to touch him drowned in his own _shadow? "WHAT?" _she screamed in her mind as she yelped seeing him disappear and suddenly appeared behind them and stabbed them with his sword killing them both _"No. the devil himself_" she thought. But the way they died didn't seem normal to her and the way Nico looked energized by their death unsettle her. Nico looked at his dead soldiers with a raised eyebrow as if saying _why in hell didn't you warn me or better tried to protect me?_ But they only gave in back a smug smile and a look that said _Oh sorry we thought you could handle yourself, aren't you a big boy?_ Lost in her own thoughts she didn't register monsters sneaking behind her and she only saw the look of panic shadowing Thalia's face to understand her mistake. As she expected a blow on her, she only heard something fast running near the both side of her ears impaling themselves on the monsters behind her. Thalia and her looked at a smiling Arya weaving at her, but unfortunately for the two of them the forgot their own enemies and then a fireball bigger than one for playing basket past behind them at an incredible speed to smack on the monsters behind the two of them leaving a trail of sulfur to end into Nico's dead soldiers and the monsters they had been fighting, _"thanks the gods"_ Piper thought.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

All heads turning to look at where the fireball came from to see Percy fighting all kind of monsters: dracaenas, ogres and empousai. He was deadly and it looked like he was dancing around with his _giant_ sword without even trying nor giving his best, where he stepped yellow powder seemed to follow, none of them had ever saw someone fighting like him and all wondered how he could freely swing such a big and monstrous sword as if he was himself a monsters but to Piper he was magnificent, monstrous but in a beautiful way _"Is it even possible? Aaaarrrrghhh mom is once again playing with me"_ she concedes. But only then she saw the other monsters he was fighting, there was three large and big monsters, they were ripped and they wore tee-shirts that where way too small for them, as if her father's friend Sylvester Stallone (_Sly _as her father called him) was wearing hers, well she had met the guy once and he was bigger and more muscular than he appeared on TV and she almost understood how Odysseus felt before Polyphemus. There were names on the monsters' clothes: MARROW SUCKER, SKULL EATER, and JOE BOB but they were hiding behind the other monsters and threw fireballs at Percy when he was fighting the other monsters but unfortunately for them, each time they threw them at him, Percy deflected them with his sword to the closest rang of monsters which infuriated them.

SKULL EATER threw a fireball at Percy as he had his back turned at him, Percy spun around himself just in time to deflect the burning ball as if a tennis player at MARROW SUCKER who was now at his right as he throw him his. The two fireballs met and exploded in an _amazing k-boom_ as Percy thought once he was on the floor for cover, it reminded him of Tyson who thought fun to blow up his enemies. The unfortunate monsters around MARROW SUCKER also blew up with him but once the fire out, MARROW SUCKER still were he was but was kneeling missing the arm the arm he threw his fireball with.

Percy grinned at him and said: "Now you suck real good...You suckeeeerrrrrrr" then laughed "You guy names really _suck_» he accentuated the pronunciation on the word to mess with them and then laughed harder as if it was a good joke which almost cost him dearly came back to his mind as SKULL EATER screamed a rather noisy and annoying "Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo".

He barely had the time to spin around himself to cut in two the fireball coming from JOE BOB to his left, one half met an hellhound in the middle of the air when it jumped on him and the other half smacked MARROW SUCKER in the face as he raised his head from his half arm but not before screaming a "Noooooooooooooooooooooooo" just like his brother which annoyed Percy to no end. He looked behind him at the result and said "Well now he really sucks" it drove SKULL EATER mad but JOE BOB was just too much shocked to register what was happening when SKULL EATER threw simultaneously two fireballs at Percy. He deflected to first one in Piper's direction, just a little bit above her head for the monster behind her which probably burned a few of her hairs, he knew he would have a bad time after this fight but didn't mind as he sent back the second fireball at SKULL EATER as a baseball player right on his head which made his blew up into sulfur. He looked at Piper and cast a smile at her then screamed "CONCENTRATE ON YOUR ON FIGHT" which brought everyone including the monsters out of their pause.

Piper came out of her daydreaming after Percy's scream, there was a flip in her heart and a tug in her gut as she remembered his smile and wore herself a goofy grin but then remembered what he did before _"the bastard he tried to kill him" _she thought as she turned around to see the mass of yellow powder behind then she smelt the something burned, well there was fire around her thanks to those _Dragon Ball Z_ monsters but the smell persisted and seemed to come from above her. She looked into the sky but nothing up there that was on fire she put her dagger before her to meet the first remaining monster that came to her, she suddenly felt a little heat coming from the scalp of her head _"No way"_ she thought as she brought her hand on her head...the smell was coming from her head and a few of her hairs had burn and some was still hot under her. Piper may not be as shallow as most of her siblings from the godly side of her family, but she always kept her hairs neat and clean in her own way so let just say that the idea of use some kind of torture on Percy was welcome.

She barely registered Percy saying to JOE BOB as he swung his sword in the air "Well dear Bobby, now it's just you and me" and Clarisse mutters "Show off" as she maimed an empousai, but she was loud enough for Hunter to hear her though he didn't show it but all of it was nothing compared to the anger her body was emitting, her body probably glowed with rage because the first monster coming at her faltered she stabbed it more than five times thinking _"The bastard didn't only TRIED to KILL me, but he almost did it...and my hairs...aarrgh" _still stabbing the poor dracaena imagination that it was an agonizing Hunter but her illusion broke once the only sign of the existence of the _poor Hunter_ was the yellow dust in the palm of her hand but it wasn't enough to cool her so she just went for the monsters herself instead of waiting for them to come to her. What was the best defense: the attack, so she did. For the first time in her life Piper didn't desperate before monsters, she could see the result of her daily training with Hunter, thanks to him she was now stronger... "_NO thanks to me"_ she corrected herself. An empousai came behind her with a spear but she was saved by some lightning from Thalia.

"Yessss that's it, you're the weaknesss. Ssstupid daughter of Venussss issss weak like all children of hersssss" said a dracaena "Sssssee you foolssss, don't be afraid of he..." she wasn't able to finish because Piper shut her mouth with one of Arya's arrow that was sticking on the ground just beside her. The dracaena had turn her face around to see her audience but it cost her fork tongue that got cut by her own fangs thanks to Piper's help.

Piper turned around and told Thalia to not help her anymore and that she would take care of them by herself, the dracaena's comment had broken the slightest residue of reason that remained in her mind after "Hunter's aborted _attempt of killing her_" as she called it. She didn't like it but she had to heard Hunter's voice guiding her saying _"Let your instinct take care of you, because there is not better instinct than that of a demigod...well demigoddess" in your case he quickly added when she glared at him_. She could remember the smile he had on his lips for her that made her feel wonderful after three hours straight of non-stop training _No don't think of his smile...your instinct isn't about appreciating his sweet smile_ she reminded herself. Then she jumped on the monsters, she may not had been a camper for long but she could fight better than some old campers, it's true she wasn't as good with her knife as Annabeth but now she could hold longer against her and some of the oldest campers. Then she stopped after her second dracaena but the Cyclops and hellhounds were a bigger deal for her due to their length so she charm spoke them:

"Now all of you monsters shall kill each others, the bigs vs. bigs, and smalls vs. smalls. At the end kill the survivors then yourselves" after that hell broke loose, all around her monsters were fighting each others to dead, and the heroes just killed them out of boredom. If someone told her that she could charm-speak so much monsters/people she would have laughed and tell him that it's was crazy but Hunter taught her or better _forced _her to do it even if she was enjoying the result as a mad scientist after many failings attempts, she still wouldn't want to remember the method he used to teach her and just the thought of them made her shiver. Unfortunately for her an hellhound jumped on her from her side and as it was about to chew her head into sauce bologna Hunter appear behind the beast with his sword on his right shoulder and gave it a big and powerful kick where it hurts with a "Get lost". The monstrous lunch few feet into the air before falling on the ground cried with contortions of its whole body on itself, Piper winced for the beast when Hunter kicked it as if a soccer ball, and it hurt her as if she had...balls and she almost, no she felt sorry for the poor beast which she could tell was the same thing for everyone there. It was probably the reason Clarisse smacked her spear at its neck killing it. Piper took the end that was offered to her by Percy and once up she looked at the pile of dust and said

"Now who's weak, duh" as if the dust cool answer to her but it was Percy who did it.

"Well maybe...you?.." he said/asked unintelligibly which resulted on Piper squeezing hard his hand but he faked being hurt which Piper knew because she always wondered if the guy had iron instead of skin.

"Euh...yeah, thanks" she told him as he raised her but blushed at the contact before breaking it.

"Did something happen between the two of you?" Arya asked them which made all heads suddenly turned around to look at the two blushing half-bloods.

"NOTHING" they both shouted far too quickly for their defense as they put some distance between them but nobody wanted to anger Hunter after watching the way he fought and he still had his sword impaled on the dirt just beside him.

"Well if an activist for animal rights was there, I'm pretty sure that he would've sue you" Nico said to Percy and Clarisse to break the silence, "that's no way to treat a dog, even if it's an hellhound" he added as he looked warily at Hunter.

"I heard that you were a storm when fighting, but I think you're more a typhoon than anything else" Clarisse said "...but I never heard anything about a giant sword, and the way you swing it..." she was talking to Hunter but when she mentioned the sword's length she had her eyes on Thalia as if she was asking her why she added that detail.

"Yes even I don't know why such a big thing and why does it turned into a hairpin?" Piper suddenly asked Hunter.

"A hairpin?" Nico asked laughing but when he remembered that it was about Hunter he shut it.

Hunter held the sword before him saying "I'm fed up of fighting giants with a small sword that only put small cuts on them even if it works, I wanted to have big thing for _big bullies and uglies_" he smiled "...so my spons...errr friend made a bigger one for me though I still haven't a fitting name for it...and the hairpin is to remember someone" he ended with sadness in his eyes.

"_So now I'm your friend eh"_ the voice chuckled in his head.

"_Oh bloody hell, can't you just shut up and let me do the talk for once?"_ he replied to it.

"_As if you've seen me TALKING to someone"_ it replied.

"_Well sure I can't confirm you that as I CAN'T SEE YOU NOR DID I EVER" _he chuckled at the end.

"_You ungrateful little-"_ it started but was cut by Percy _"Na na na, I'm not listening"_ he thought. For once Percy was happy to have the last word against that scary and annoying super immortal _"Yeah dream on"..._or not as he scowled.

Thalia and Piper had the feeling that the "_big bullies and uglies_" included not only giants and monsters but also the gods, and they wandered who was that friend...no sponsor he meant that would make such a weapon to arm even the gods when in their 15 feet form, and more important what did he have in it? And Piper had the feeling that someone he wanted to remember certainly wasn't his mother with made her feel some unpleasant feeling in her stomach. As if reading their thoughts they heard Clarisse asks:

"Does the "_big bullies and uglies_" include the gods?" she asked as she menacingly tightened her grasp on her spear, but Hunter didn't seem to mind it although Piper knew that if Clarisse made any move, he would cut her down even before Thalia and Nico could act in her favor. And she knew that Clarisse knew it too even if she didn't like it.

"It's obvious" and as if to put oil on the fire he added "If one of your parents, uncles, or cousins try anything funny on me, well let's just said that I'll mark some _fun_ on their body" for a moment there was a stunning silence due to his confession.

"Well maybe I should name it now that I have tested out on enemies" he said breaking the silence and dissipating the tension that he brought,

"It destroys too much as a real typhoon" Piper said. "Maybe you should name it typhoon" she added.

"Ah, thank you. But typhoon is too flashy" he told her, then he looked at Thalia's group on after another before saying: "Beside, I don't wanna have after me the monster that made the Olympians' asses sweat as Olympic athletes when he barely lifted his hand while walking straight for Olympus just because I name my sword after it" he paused and glanced at them to see their reaction, he just shrugged the glare he received and said "Let's see..**.**_**Perthein**_ yep it will do" he said, he was so led back that you could think he didn't just had threatened Olympians before four of their own children whose 2 are of the big three and on from the war god himself or that the new found name of his sword gigantic form meant "love" but when she translated it in her head, she lost her voice.

"To ravage, sack, destroy..." Clarisse and Nico translate loud enough for everyone to hear and then the Greek characters "πέρθειν" appeared in a blazing fire red on the both flats of his sword.

"What were those throwing fireballs monsters you were fighting?" Piper asked Hunter.

"Those are legs-legs...torians, well let's just say Canadians" he said but his accursed dyslexia didn't make things good for him, but he didn't notice the suspicious look that was giving him Thalia.

Piper asked, but she didn't have her answer as there was an instant but powerful storm that blasted all the yellow dust on their place.

"Well maybe we should move, I don't want Gaea to find us still lingering here" Nico said and everyone agreed with him and so their left all together. On their way Percy was happily talking with Clarisse and Nico as if they were all buddies but whenever Thalia would butt in , Piper could tell that Hunter was tense or just avoid her which unsettles Piper as she didn't understand his behavior. They stopped near another creek to camp.

They all were around the fire Thalia made, talking, eating and drinking when Clarisse rose her cup of juice and said:

"To our friends and our new found allies (Hunter and Arya), and I must said your good guys"

Piper almost lost and Arya chuckled then said "Well I don't know about the good guys' part, but back then I thought that we would try to kill each other's"

"Well there is nothing better than fighting alongside someone to make good friends" she smiled at her companions.

"What did you mean about a typhoon and the Olympians, they tried to stop a natural catastrophe?" Piper asked Hunter.

He smiled at her and said "Yes they tried but the wind blasted them out of it's no matter what they did" he chuckled at the end making Nico and Clarisse smirk while Arya tried not to laugh.

"Boys" Thalia muttered with distaste before turning to Piper and says "It's not about a typhoon but the monster Typhoon, father of all monsters and husband of Echidnas" she paused and seemed to think for a moment, "Last summer during the invasion of New York, Typhoon crossed the all country from mount St. Helen where he was locked to New York, all the way to Manhattan he fought the gods" she said.

"Waouh, but-" Piper began to say but was interrupted by Hunter.

"_he fought the gods_, what kind of bullshit are giving her, _Huntress_" he said with smile to Thalia, he turned around so that he could face "what the _huntress _should say is that, all the members of the council minus Poseidon tried to _slow_ his mach because there is a fight only when both sides exchanges blows, right daughter of Ares?" he directed the last part at Clarisse who was force but to nod at this as she send an apology look at Thalia.

"Typhoon was walking slowly to New York leaving and catastrophe on his way and the gods fought him and blasted him with all their regalia and the monster kept on sending to the ground by barely lifting one of his hands" he then laughed "you should've seen that, those 'great' gods suddenly didn't look so great before him" he added as he kept on laughing. As Thalia and Clarisse glared at him as he was mocking their fathers, while Nico hide his smile.

For a moment Piper was jealous that Hunter was so laid back before the 3 other demigods when he wasn't for so long and it was only the 3 of them, as she noticed Arya laughing "_as if she saw the scene"_ she thought, she wondered if before meeting her, brother and sister laughed a lot, "_probably"_ she bitterly said to herself as she recalled Arya laughing the first time she asked them if they knew a certain Percy Jackson after _resurrecting _Hunter.

"But you should know that as you're one who told us about the scrolls of Percy Jackson's life because you rode them" Arya told her bringing her out of her thoughts.

"I'm sure I didn't read that part as I don't recall about it" she honestly answered her but Arya just raised a brow at it. It was the time Hunter chooses to stop laughing.

"Maybe R- Rachel took it out so that that friend of yours wouldn't be laughing about it" he said coughing.

"But how did he escaped from his prison?" she asked him, before any reply could come out of his mouth Thalia activated her spear and asked him.

"How he knows so much, and do you know about the second Titan war and that the Laistrygonians being also called Canadians?" she stood and was ready to gut him with her spears or activate her shield Aegis.

"_Ah ah ah, take that"_ the voice laughed in his head _"now how are going to come out of this __impasse__ without my help"_ it kept on laughing.

"_I swear the day I will-"_ Percy tried to reply but was cut by the voice.

"_Say 'please __my__ wonderful and great friend Lord Chaos, give me a hand to this humble Jackson brat' and I'll help you"_ it chuckled and waited for him to say so.But Percy just broke out and laughed as if there was no tomorrow with earned him worry glances from his audience.

"Like hell I would do it" he laughed once again and turned to the others "Well miss _Grace_" he paused dramatically as he gave Thalia a knowing smile when Thalia tensed at her and Thalia had the feeling that he called her like that on purpose because he knew she didn't like it.

"For the Laistrygonians, I was in the same school with Percy Jackson when they attacked him, although not in the same class I saw them visit his. For the rest, I was there in Manhattan during the invasion" he paused for them to register what he just said.

"On which side" strangely it was Piper who asked that, and her hand were clenched in a fist and you could feel the worry in her voice.

"Uh-uh,what?" he stupidly replied to her question, but that didn't fool Thalia neither Clarisse.

"Don't play dumb and reply" the first said as the second asked "On who's side did you fight".

Arya looked at Percy as if telling _you're__ playing with the fire_ but he didn't care, it was way too fun for him to stop it now he opened his mouth and said what Arya and Piper were dreading for him to say.

"Isn't it obvious as none of you knows a damn thing about me" as he finished, only the wind and the water could been heard, then Piper gasped, Nico put his hand on his sword without taking it out, Aer watched the new group and then Hunter, Clarisse swore with her spear already in her hands but Thalia had the worst reaction, she screamed "TRAITOR" as lightening downed on her spear and she directed it at Hunter who just had the time to hold _Perthein _before in with the flat facing Thalia's direction, the lightening bolt smacked on it but Percy fight it's power by putting one hand on the flat of his sword. He managed to deflect it somewhere behind the girl but its power sends him fly few meters back. There was a yelped where it fell and it almost sounded human.

Percy quickly got up with his sword in hands, seeing that Thalia wasn't over yet he planted in before him to used it like a shield while Thalia summoned another lightening Clarisse tried to held her back by her shoulders but she was send back on her butt by the electricity running on Thalia's body with her hand burned, Aer and Nico just stood up and watched their fight while Piper was crying too afraid to even think about her charm-speak. Percy quickly took out his spear as Thalia send another lightning at him, he just put the head of his spear before him to test if it really did absorb energy as Chaos said it could. The lightening smacked itself on his sword and he used its flash to hide what his spear was doing.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

_**Clarisse POV**_

I watched as Thalia send her lightening at that Hunter guy, but the guy just put the sword before him and seems to take something in his pocket but before we could see what it was, the lightening hit his sword. I was already stunned the first time when he kicked our butts with his bare hands when we had our weapons in less than 5 minutes and 10 moves, though I'll never admit it to anybody, and then I saw him fight, that's when I slightly understood what Thalia, Hera and the others saw/felt. This guy was incredibly good with his sword, better than Percy and Luke combined. But watching him deflect fireballs with his sword as if playing football then now doing the same with lightening made me wonder who in hell he really was.

Suddenly there was no more lightening and the only remaining image of it was a smoke on Hunter's sword, the lightening disappeared as if sucked out somewhere and I could tell that I wasn't the only one who was stunned and didn't understand any of it. I notice a movement on my side from the corner of my eyes when I looked there was only a big shade there, I looked in Hunter's direction to see Nico appearing behind him but the guy quickly turned around and thrust his spear at Nico who dodge it bad moving to his right but I could tell from the way I saw Hunter fighting that he didn't mean to maim him. Then I understood his purpose as he didn't use the head of the spear but the back which hooked Nico's oversized jacket and he use it lift him with his spear and swing him toward Thalia who was still dumbfound by what happened few seconds ago. He almost did the same thing he did with me and it was easier to swing Nico because he was lighter than me which made it simpler and faster to swing him. For a moment I almost wished that stupid sea punk was here to fight him, it surely would have made one heck of swordsmanship display.

Nico's head met Thalia's head on, the two were on the ground moaning and groaning with Nico on top, before I could stand and go to their help, Hunter was already there with his sword on the ground between Nico and Thalia's heads.

"It would be useless to fight me now as you don't have the level to do so, if I was bad I would've wait for you to fire another lightening and put your friend between it and I because those things were meant to kill or hurt a lot" Hunter said. And the moment he said I remembered that he acted before Thalia could've send another lightening at him. "Try something like that and I won't be nice on you" he added. I could tell that Hunter didn't like Thalia for the sightless bit and I think that Piper too understood it even if judging by her look none of us did know why but there was some kind of history between them.

"YOU'RE A TRAITOR" was Thalia's only reply as she tried to stand but she wasn't still on her two feet. Nico stayed on the ground but turned his head so that he could see Hunter's face.

He sat on the rock and calmly stated "So were Silena Beauregard and Luke Castellan" and that put set me on fire.

"THEY DIED A HERO" I screamed at him as I stood, but he looked at me as if I was not threat which made me angrier than before.

"Yes I know, I was there. But go tell that to the mortal parents of those who died by their fault, and even some immortals don't see it that way and I could ask you to say that in the wine dude's face to see if I'm wrong. Ethan was a hero" before I could protest he added "By giving intelligence to Luke, how much heroes do you think died? Let's just take from the invasion of camp to the invasion of Manhattan how many people lost their loved ones? At least she had a taste of her own medicine to know what she put people thorough, she repaired her wrong by killing monsters thus sparing some campers and by bringing you guys (he pointed his finger at me) on the battlefield" he finished.

"Yeah but Luke also corrected his mistakes by stopping Kronos and thanks to that Percy made the gods claim their children" Thalia shouted at his face and I just nodded thought for the first time I had a guilty part of doubt in my heart.

"No Luke _put _an end to his mistake, do you think that his sacrifice make up for all the children that had their mind twisted by him, tell me do you know the number of those who died because of him on both sides? And do you have the idea how do feel those who fought their sibling or killed other campers? an-" he wanted to continue but whose cut by Thalia's outrage.

"We didn't kill demigods" she said at his face.

"That's what you think _huntress_ but do you think that none of those arrows shot by the campers and Hunters weren't fatal to other half-bloods? No weapon has eyes, you did kill a couple of fellow campers because Luke took them. Even if Percy asked you to only knock out humans, in the heat of the action or in situation of life or death you don't hold back your blows but does what you have to survive. Only in the end that you'll see the face of those you killed. Did you ask your _sisters _if none of them killed a human during the war, especially boys?" Thalia had her mouth shut but before she could speak Hunter went on.

"I will just take two examples for you: if your friend Luke didn't free Atlas, Zoë Nightshade and Bianca Di Angelo would still be alive" he castes a sympathy look at Nico that says a " sorry for bringing her into this" and then said looking at Thalia "Do you think that Nico thinks of him as a hero" well I didn't have to look at Nico dark eyes to know that to him he would always be the traitor that cost his sister's life even if he won't sing it a CHB, I know that because I accidentally saw the look he gave his shroud. Thalia worriedly looked at Nico as boy's eyes dared her to ask him about it, but by the way she avoided his eyes and looked on the ground I knew that she saw the answer in death boy's eyes. _Damn that guy knows how to shake people's heart_ I thought to myself.

Then his second example he chooses Percy. "When Percy and Charles Beckendorf went to blast Kronos' cruise ship..." he trailed as if it was a painful memory to him, '_memory?'_ _he couldn't have been on that ship right_? I thought "before blasting it as he was buying time for Charles, a boy barely 11 tried to kill thought he told him to leave the ship...there was other kids on that ship when it was blasted" he finished then looked at Thalia dead in the eyes "how can a kid of 11 or 12 years old hate his parent so much that he would go and serve someone as Kronos on a ship infested of monsters that feed on half-bloods if he wasn't convinced by some older than him even if it was by fear, and are you sure that those kids souls all went to Elysium as Luke's " for the first time in my life I could see that Thalia was lost, she had no valuable answer to give him, when she tried her mouth would just gap open with no sound coming out. We stayed there in an absolute silence waiting for Thalia's reply but there was none.

"But you think that they did the right thing in the end, heroes' things, right?" Piper said/asked breaking the silence, thank the gods that girl did it because I couldn't stand it anymore. I almost forgot that she was here and there were traces dried tears on her face even though she tried to wipe them. We all turned our heads at Hunter expecting an answer, he just shrugged "_what the hell?"_ I wondered, but then answered to her.

"Oh yes I think they did the right thing especially Silena, well they had a hero's end" he said smiling at her, "there is definitely something between them" I thought to myself as Piper turned pink at his smile.

"Then what was all that speech for?" Nico asked breaking me from my thoughts well I also wondered about it, why giving us all the speech and making us feel bad if he thought they did well in the end.

"It was just to tell you that: what you think and believe isn't the same for the others and that you shouldn't force it on anybody as Zeus and the council does most of times" he say looking at her, I saw Thalia flinch as I did myself. And then he added, "I just wanted to teach or _dear huntress_ here that it's not good to judge people if you don't know their history nor their motives" he said the last part smirking at Thalia.

"Did you kill campers" I asked him as I looked at him right into his eyes, his expression was blank as a poker player which in think he might be good at, but he asked what I would do if it was the case but before I could tell him that I would gut him I heard Thalia's voice.

"Then we might kill you" she threatened him as if he didn't kicked her ass twice in less than three days. Good Thalia.

"Does it include nymphs and Hunters as well because alas I did kill quite a few of them without counting one camper here and there" he seriously said and for the first in my life I saw someone crazier than the late sea punk, and madder than my father and Hades combined.

Thalia went headed to spear him, in think she expected Nico and I to follow just behind her but we were too much stunned by what he said and the way he said it. I think she noticed none was with her and turned around to face me "Well aren't you coming?" she screamed at us, only then we registered what had happened and then I heard Piper's sobs, she griped her hairs in both hands and shook her head violently as if she wanted to forget what she heard "_Yup kiddo, you're new boyfriend is a psychopath"_ I thought but didn't said it as it would be the killing blow want_. _The little girl Aryus or Argus I don't care was by her side consoling her as she glared at Hunter as if asking _what kind of Minotaur's dung are saying _when I heard Hunter says

"Waouh, you're a feisty one, aren't you, just like those poor huntresses. If it wasn't for your friend Luke they might still be alive" he then ran in circle around the fire with a smile on his face.

"Ok time up, I _had_ to kill some of your friends or my cover wouldn't have lasted long, after all Silena too had to kill some monsters" he said.

"Then come I will make your punishment fast, you have lasted too long to be left roaming free", he smirked, all of it only infuriated Thalia, then I saw it. Hunter didn't like Thalia that's why he had been taunting her all the time it was his purpose and no one saw through it all of this play was only _Minotaur's dung,...no, more like Phobos' dung _precisely I though and saw that he was only toying with Thalia, he didn't mean what he said.

"THALIA STOP IT" I screamed at her, she turned around to look at me and I could already smell the ozone all around and between us. She looked at me like asking if I still had my mind but fortunately for her it was the case the I clearly said "He's been toying with you all along and like a foolish girl you keep on falling on his baits" I said I looked at Hunter who grinned at me.

"So like her father, lacking the brain to think or see things..." he said as he dodged or countered Thalia's strikes. I must say that the boy must have a death wish or that he's just pretty stupid to mock the Lord of the sky and his daughter at the same time.

"...but they only know how to smash people" he added laughing but as Thalia readied as next strike he said "Hulk smash" with a funny way as those lame actors in action movies and the incredible thing was that Thalia was able to smash...the dirt. It was the last thing that none of us couldn't hold, we all laughed at her, and when I say all it really is: Nico, Arya, Piper and I. Even if we were friends it wasn't impossible to stop my shaking neither could Nico (who had his hands on his stomach) nor Piper who was laughing and crying. Thalia turned around and gave us a treacherous look and went back to Hunter but I think he had enough of playing with her because he made a move I didn't think possible. Thalia thrust her spear, he dodges it to his right but then grabs it with his two hands, jumped and kicked her on the chest still holding her spear. Thalia was sent back, the wind knocked out of her lung and fell and the dirt butt first.

Thalia tried to stand but couldn't as she was breathing heavily which surprised me because the Hunters were known for their stamina due to their training and constant trips but seeing Thalia in this state and looking at Hunter who looked perfectly well, it sent a shiver down on my spine and then I remembered that Piper fought a way that no child of Aphrodite had seen fight except for Aeneas and she wasn't a veteran nor did she had a long time to train at Camp Half-Blood to not look tired or take on all those monsters _It was because she had been training with a monster _the answer fell on me.

"Stop it Thalia. I...I hate to say it but he's beyond our level" yes I said it happy? Whoever trained this boy if there was someone who did was really good beyond the meaning of the word. Thalia struggled to stand even if she didn't have all her mind with her when Nico suddenly appeared before her.

"Thalia, for once do as Clarisse says or he's going to kill you. This guy has some kind of grudge with you and I bet if Piper wasn't there he would have hurt you badly. You said it the first time that he was beyond Percy's level and I've seen this guy and Percy fighting but Percy would look as a child before him..." he paused as if there was something else he wanted to say but was arguing with himself whether to share or not with us.

"What is it death boy?" Thalia asked him sitting on her butt, "Spit it" she urged him.

"Nico if there is something else spit it now before I make you spit it" I threatened him, he glance at Thalia then at me, he then glanced at Piper and Arya as if what he would say concerned them then he quickly glanced at Hunter then he said:

"There had been a couple of _soul_ escaping the underworld, mortals including heroes and monsters. Most of them are being released by Gaea..." he then looked at Piper "as Medea and lamia" he paused still looking at Piper to let what he said sink in her mind, three seconds later her eyes were wide open and some tears began to link out of them _Well good Nico now you're making her cry once again as if she hadn't enough already_ I thought the way he said _soul_ didn't sound like any friendly soul to us.

"But how does it link to _him_" Thalia spat pointed a finger at a smiling Hunter.

"Some mortals hazardously find their way back to the living world by escaping through hidden ways. And this guy..." uh-uh it already doesn't sound good for us, what could this accursed son of Hades adds?

"What this guy?" Piper asked in a low voice as if scared about the answer she might be given. _In totally understand you kid, even I don't wanna know about it_ I said to myself.

Nico looked at her with this gloomy look in his eyes, and for once there was a hint of compassion in them, so much for a son of Hades. "This guy has the smell of the underworld on him, just like his weapons. He had the way he did smell of death on him and that aura only the dead has on them..." he gloomily said with a seriousness only a son of the Lord of the Dead could have when talking about death.

"What do you mean?" Arya suspiciously asked even if I felt like she knew the answer and more about Hunter than she wanted to show, and I bet a race on my father's chariot that she was only asking to know how far we were from the _whole _truth.

"What I mean is that this guy experienced death, and before you cut me, I'm not implying what happened in Florida" he said with a knowing look, Thalia and I wanted to ask him what it was about as the two girls paled as if recalling a painful/scary event but Nico only mouthed 'later' in our direction. "This guy died a couple of months before you met him, I know this because I can tell the difference between those who died a long time ago and recently. And this guy even though he has for the two categories as if someone wanted to foul me, I can tell that either he died during the second Titan war during the invasion of New York or of CHB, or he died eons ago probably back in old times" he said proud of his analysis and logic.

_What the Hades? Who can be proud to tell the difference between someone who died in the age of ice or recently: ONLY A CHILD OF HADES_ I thought but there was one thing important that Nico said, Hunter shouldn't be alive and only Gaea are bringing the dead back, but from every report I heard about him, he fought against Gaea and her sons but was it only a way to gain our trust and then manipulate us just the way he did? I looked at Piper and saw that she was beyond devastated but looking beyond her I saw that Arya looked fine, almost relieved that we haven't found the truth but worried that we put a finger on one thing. I glanced at Hunter and it seemed to me that the guy was so lost in his thoughts that he probably didn't hear us but at the slightest movement from any of us he would be ready to defend himself. There was no better way to find out who he was by asking him, or try to find loopholes in his speech. And then I thought about the _what-kind-of-Minotaur's-dung-are-saying_ glare that Aryus girl gave him when he said he killed hunters and campers and how he kind of admitted that he was only taunting Thalia and then I knew that he lied about campers death by his hands _Now I'm sounding as that bitch-ass blond of Athena_ I thought before saying:

"I know that you lied about killing campers, nymphs and probably hunters too (yes I wasn't at 100 % sure he didn't) tell me how you know so much"

He seemed to be interrupted from a conversation, and looked as his right as if his interlocutor was there and giving him counsels but found them annoying or just didn't want to listen to him _good_.

He thought about his answer as fast as he could and said "I always knew that no matter how bad we could be to each other's you were a good friend and that you would always believe in me" he said with such a grateful and sad, happy look that I felt heat rising on my cheeks.

"Punk! I don't know you and I'm not your friend yet" was the only reply that came at me, he just raised one eyebrow and then shrugged.

"You will one day understand Clarisse LaRue" the way he said my name was as if he knew me for a long time but couldn't remember about him which sounded strange to me. "But have no fear you'll find out later" he added.

"Are you an oracle now?" I asked annoyed.

"Percy saved me from monsters, he's the one who explained me about the Canadians as we were in the same school when they attacked Tyson and him" he said and this brought everyone's attention to him "as repayment I spied for him on the princess Andromeda that's why Beckendorf and him even thought they had their ways and that she ship was masked from godly view. After the war we saw each other, a couple of time before his death, he came to me and told me _EVERYTHING _that happened to him. And for your Intel, I haven't kill any hunter or camper...yet" when he said it he looked right at Thalia who gasped and had misty eyes. Nico and I looked at each other as if one of us knew what it was about but it seemed like only Thalia and Hunter knew it. He went pass us in the bush behind just where he deflected Thalia's lightening. I took the opportunity to sew some answers out of Arry's little mouth as Thalia now had tears coming out of her eyes with a stunned Nico standing next her but utterly lost by the situation before him.

I walked to the two girls that were non attending the fire, Piper had red eyes but you could see that the weight of the sky was lifted from her shoulders but she wasn't the one I wanted to talk to. Sitting on a rock, Hunter's sister was writing something on the dirt and when she felt me standing before her across the fire, she raised her head to glance at me and then went back to her 'work' ignoring me _punk_.

"Yo Aryus" I said, she didn't even looked at me as she said:

"No it's Arya"

"Yes Argus" I said annoyed at her.

"Arya" she said annoyed for my mistake, well blame my dyslexia about it.

"Whatever Argos, now tell me everything you know about that _brother_ of yours" I said, she raised her head from the dry wood she was using to write with on dirt and looked at me. For a tiny moment I saw an ice cold and scary anger beyond what I saw in my father's eyes and it made me cower in fear with my butt on the dirt.

"What I know about my _brother_ (I felt that was a warning to me about next time) is for him to decide whether to share it with you or not." she solemnly said, she looked at the three of us and added "When the time will come, you shall know who he is because he will tell you everything" with that she looked behind us at her brother who just came out of the bush with a deer corps burned-by-lightening resting on his shoulders.

"And now here is our dinner" he said.

Thalia shrieked and said "I won't eat milady's sacred animal" closing her nose trills but Hunter just laughed at her.

"It's a shame because it was your lightening that killed it" he said still laughing but I could tell that it wasn't funny for Thalia thought she didn't say anything. He took out a Swiss army knife and BB sauce from the backpack that next to his camping roll and then started to cut the meat. He roasted some in the fire along with some herbs that were inside the backpack. I must admit that it smelt good for an improvised lunch a by the look Thalia was giving the roasting meat I think she reconsidered about not eating it. Before giving each one of us his food he said:

"I don't want any of you to offer food to your parents. I don't want to be find by them and thus being found by the Earth itself" he looked at Nico and said "I don't mind if it's to Hades as he won't come out of the underworld for me when he has quite a lot of work in his realm with all those escaping souls" Nico narrowed his eyes at him but Hunter only dismissed it with a wave of his hand saying "Yes I know about the escaping souls as I myself met Medea when some punks on a golden dragon tried to burn her in her own house".

I saw Piper tensed from the corner of my eye but I don't think that Hunter did, he probably didn't know that the _punks_ he was talking about were Leo, Jason and Piper. All of those who gave a quick glance at piper who was as white as marble.

"But she was evil, she was working for Gaea" Thalia argued as Nico and I nodded.

"If you think that what your brother did to Zoë Nightshade was horrible, well let's just say that it was child play before what Jason the Argonaut did to her after all the sacrifices she did for him. I'm not defending her acts nor justifying them but none of us would've done things differently if we were in her shoes so don't judge". Well none of us knew about her story but we all knew about Zoë, but what he said about the escaping souls only comforted Nico's theory and the two of us shared a look about it.

"But it's a way to honor them" Nico said.

"Well except that I'm avoiding them all, because I'm pretty sure your report about me made Zeus more paranoid than he already is" "true" I wanted to scream at him but I didn't, I caught a glimpse of eyes in the fire and remembered that they had been there for a long time, seeing as no monster fell on us I assumed that it was Hestia spying of us.

"To the gods" Thalia said dropping a part of her meat in the fire after Nico offered some at his father. There was fast rise of anger into Hunter's eyes for Thalia's act but he said nothing of it, I also offered mine at my father and the fire went higher and took a blazing orange color. Seeing it Piper made her offering and I bet it must have been the first time she openly did it because Aphrodite was the one who guided us to them. The fire was brighter and higher after her offering as if waiting for Hunter and Aryus to also make theirs.

Hunter smirked at the fire and said: "seems like I don't have any choice right?" he stood up and went near the roasted meat and for a moment I thought he would've drop the meat he planned to dry in the fire but he took the intestines containing poop and threw it in the fire saying "To the Olympians, and Bon appétit".

There was no word to describe how I felt, there was a heavy silence all around us, and you could even hear any insect. I think we all thought that he was crazier beyond than he looked and we expected some kind of divine punishment to strike him but none of it happened and for a moment I thought that the gods were really cut from our world when the fire went down and then high with purple and dark green color, the sky thundered, there was a blast of wind and the earth shook for a moment. We all were scared except for that fool who was smiling and laughing as if all of it was thrilling to him. The fire was higher than when we made our offering scaring of us as if the punishment would be more collective than individual, we all took few steps back as if expecting Hades to burst out of it but there was only a voice: "YOU...YOU...YOU FOOLISH MORTAL" it said or more like they said because there was many voices (ancient powerful voices) in that single but they all held fury, distaste and incredulity as common feelings. Instead of being scared the guy just said

"Yes, me...me...and me amazing immortals" he said to the fire with a childish smile then he added "Did it taste wonderful?" just after he said it, fire lipped at him as an arm trying to catch something but he expected he as he jumped out of its way, thunder reaped the sky as a lightning bolt came down at him, he impaled _Perthein _on the ground before him then took out a shield which was the same color as his spear and sword a golden white color that shined in the night and protected himself as he also impaled the spear on the ground with the head facing the sky. He wanted to use the spear as an antenna but this upcoming lightening wasn't as weak as Thalia's for the same trick to work he then said to some imaginary friend "Now it's up to you" just before the lightening fell on him. We all jump as far as we could for safety just after witnessing the fire arm but I was pretty that we would be collateral damages to that lightning bolt of Zeus. There was a blazing and blinding flash of light and the earth shook as a new topography was being made on our campsite.

When it was over we thought we were in Hades realm because of the lack of sound in our ears and the smoke we were inhaling, we stood up and all glanced around us but there was nothing beside the smoke all around us. We looked at Hades' son to know if we really were in the underworld but he negatively shook his head. We all climbed the pill of dirt before us to reach our all camping site but we only founded a big crater as if a meteor fell here.

"Hunter" Piper and Arya screamed as they ran to the crater that was smoking I wanted to tell them the ugly truth but I let the crater do it for me. We all stood behind them around the crater, Thalia put a hand on Piper's shoulder and said:

"I'm sorry Piper but he couldn't have survived such a thing from my father..." even if she thought that he deserved it for his lack of manner and brain, she felt sorry about him.

"No he's alive I know it" she said with tears in her eyes and both hands on her heart waiting for the smoke to clear itself as there was a burning heat it coming from it.

"He can't be alive..." I tried to say but she didn't seem to hear me.

"Look if you don't want to back to camp to see Jason you can come to the Hunt we will-" Thalia started to say but was cut by Piper. She violently broke free of Thalia's hand and disgustedly smacked it.

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR BROTHER, AND I DON'T CARE ABOUT A COLD PLACE AS THE HUNT" she screamed at Thalia's face "I don't want to go to a place where males are only considered as sickness when eyes are closed for maiden bitches like your blond-ass friend Annabeth" I was stunned by her outburst but more by what she said, but she wasn't over yet "I know what you didn't do or how you didn't help your friend and cousin when he needed you the most" at those words any trace of anger vanished from Thalia's face which was white, her lips moved but no sound came out of it and her eyes had tears in them even if she wasn't crying . I didn't understand what that daughter of Aphrodite was talking about but I got that it had something to do with Percy and Wise bitch, then I remembered when Hunter said _"EVERYTHING" _while looking at Thalia and the way she turned white like a marble statue then I felt that she knew about Wise bitch and Jerric but never told Percy, for a moment I wanted to hit her but I stopped seeing that Piper had given her a bigger blow. Suddenly there was a gasp coming from Piper, I looked at her to see tears coming out of her eyes and she was looking at something down there into the carter with a smile. I followed as eyes as she jumped into the crater together with Aryus and ran to its center where stood a smoking Hunter with burned and torn clothes. We all went after the girls but Thalia who hasn't budge shocked by what she was seeing and what Piper told her. Piper ran to him and hugged him tightly sobbing on his chest while he muttered soothing words to her and tenderly caressed the back of her head along with another hand on her back drawing circles. Aryus stood just few steps behind and was looking at them with a shining smile and they looked cute like that. He saw his sister and smiled at her, the little girl ran to him and smacked herself on his leg and then hugged her.

"Too much it hurts girls" they broke the hug to see the few burns marks on his body.

"How did you survived" Thalia said from behind me, she was slowly walking to us.

"Well I must say that Zeus really pooped a big one this time, I wonder how his ass is taking it" was all that he said as an answer.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

**Percy****'s POV**

When I opened my eyes I was glad to see that I was still alive, my spear was still standing there but it was cracking with electricity as I touched it, it burned my hand. I looked around me to see that I was in the middle of a crater. "_Waouh__, good Chaos, Zeus didn't really care about the others eh?"._

"_Of course I'm good, if it wasn't the case you would be pudding Perseus or cheesh kebab or-"_ I cut him before he would be lousy.

"_No way, ok I understand you're good, great and bla bla bla, but tell me how come I'm not badly wounded when my clothes are all torn apart?"_

"_Well, what remained of your curse worked perfectly for your sake"_

"_But I thought that you removed it, how come I'm still invulnerable?"_

"_This new body of yours was made with some cells of your original body like a clone. But when you bathed in the Styx, its waters infiltrated the pores of your skin till it reached your blood. To cut it short, the waters of the Styx reach the blood thus your inner organs to make them invulnerable through your blood circulation. That's why your whole body even your eyes and nail were invulnerable except for the little part in your back because that place contained a lot of "not immune blood" if can say making it sensitive"_

"_So __you're__ telling me that I'm still invulnerable, why __you didn't__ tell me that sooner"_

"_Because you're not, and if I told you about it you wouldn't have trained so hard which not only did sharpen your skills but also increased your compatibility with your body. You and I both know that sometimes you quickly end fights not because you want to but because you have to"_ which I thought was true but I still didn't like being told about all of it sooner.

"_Your soul must be fused with your body because its original vessel isn't even thought there is no difference in the DNA, the soul still knows that it's not its original container/partner. And if the fusion is not complete your soul will part from your body"_

"_So why didn't you just resurrect me with my original body if you __knew__ about all these complications"_ I angrily asked him, this super powerful could have made the things right when he brought me back but nooooo and I bet it's only because of a selfish or stupid reason, or both.

"_Well first, your gods would have known that you're no longer dead when now they only think that your soul never reached the underworld or was intercepted on the way there as your friends was there at your funerals. _He smirked before adding_ "and more importantly it would have been boring if there was no deadline for you and that you were invulnerable, let's just say that it adds more salt in the meal as now you will be able to fell blows if heavy and internal bleeding or broke a leg if you fall pretty high and hard. It's more entertaining now" _See that's what I was saying, just because I'm his entertainment he made things so that I could die fast, so much for an entertainment. I scowled but not for log as something else took my mind.

I smirked, and then I heard voices as if people were in the middle of an argument, when the smoke cleared itself before me, I found out that I was in a hole, well in the of a building size crater and up there was someone, no three or four people I can't tell who they are by the sound of their voices because my ears were ringing inside of my head and there was damnable Chaos who was blabbing non-stop about respect and elders. Two short people jumped?(no doubt that the flash disrupted my vision) into the crater and raced to me they were...

"_YOUR GIRLFRIEND PIPER AND YOUR SISTER ARYA"_ the voice screamed in my head startling me as I yelped "_couldn't you just speak like normal people would do? I thought that I would __die__ from an attack" _I thought for the voice which I knew would change nothing.

"_Do you think that I'm 'normal'" _he said which made me smile.

"_True, you're not normal as you're a godly stalker" _I laughed but quickly stopped when I felt the massive headache it gives me.

Then I saw Piper running to me with tears falling from her eyes, seeing her brought vigor in my nearly roasted body, but her tears were like a sharp slap directly in my heart. I thought about a painful way to make who ever made her cry pays but I all stopped _thank to the amazing help _of that accursed and blasted godly stalker's voice.

"_Oh don't look to far as you're the one who made her cry, and I heard about the '_accursed and blasted godly stalker's voice_'-"_

"_Well I said it loud enough for you to hear me...what? Who made her-"_ but he too cut me as he smacked the top of my headrepeatedly _"woul"_ *bang*_ "w-would" *bang* "you" _*bang* "_sto" _*bang*

"_What__?" _he innocently asked me with a perfect British accent of an aristocrat like those in old movies.

*bang* _"stot-" *bang* "Heeeeeiiiiiiiiinnnnn"_ he now said in perfect French but with a childish accent.

"_STOP IT"_ I roared in my head which made him chuckle before Piper crushed into me and gave me a tight bear hug. The way she took the air out of my lungs reminded me of my _only_ little brother Tyson but for once I wasn't since I know that he's back and looking for me along with Mrs. O'Leary. Without even thinking about it my arms tighten around her waist and back, with her face buried between my neck and chest and mine in her hairs. I inhale their smell to convince that I was still alive and she smelt something sweet with flowers but I couldn't tell which, she was sobbing quietly but I could still hear her and feel her tears on what remained of my shirt and I held her tighter muttering sooth words in her ear. She stops sobbing few moments later and put her forehead on mine smiling at me with her arms around my neck. I could see reassurance, happiness, relief, joy and love in her eyes.

"You scared me to death, I…I...I thought that you died and that I would..." her voice cracked, in the end and I did the first thing that came into my mind, I engulfed her in my arm with my chin on the top on her head.

"Ush don't cry Dove girl, I'm not gonna leave you soon" I said as I kissed the top of her head. At my words she looked up to me with hope in her eyes.

"Promise?" she asked, I couldn't bring myself to tell her _not just temporary _so looking in those mesmerizing eyes I just said:

"Yes, I promise" I didn't know if I would regret my promise later but it didn't matter as I looked into her eyes leaning to her.

In the back of my head I could hear Chaos singing "_Who Wants To Live Forever__" _ from the English rock band Queen. Just as I looked at her voluptuous and tasty lips (I remember them because I tasted them once)

"_Touch my world, with your lips..."_ the damn voice sang but for the first time I was grateful for his actions... _"Oh you're welcome dear"_ well after thinking about it, no I'm not grateful. Then we hear Aer cough, and it was the first time that I registered the goddess in her 8 years old form. We turned around to look at her, well Piper actually glared at her which was amusing for me and she didn't seem to see the murderous glare Piper was giving her.

"Oh don't mind me, after all I'm _just_ a _little girl_" she said before running to me and hugging me tight and I think Piper is an adept of the famous _eye for an eye_ because she too hugged me just to budge Aer, in the end it was a race of who would hug the biggest part of me and in the same time who would be closer to me, Piper won the first but Aer did the last.

"It's too much, it hurts girls" I managed to say before they broke the super glue hug to see the few burns marks on his body.

"You smell barbecue" Aer said with a smile. Which Piper didn't appreciate neither denied, and I took it as a clue that it was true.

"_Well more like a cheese burger or pizza with a lot of _bacon" I heard inside my head but choose to ignore it which made it shut up. Then I saw the others coming, the incredible look they had plus the face they made as if it was a bad joke that I was still alive especially Thalia who was outraged about it though it could only be seen in her eyes. But decide to do as if I didn't see them

"How did you survived" Thalia said from behind Clarisse which startled her a little bit even if she masked it. _Something must have happen between them, that's why they didn't walked together _I thought to myself but as I saw that she was avoiding any eye contact with Piper or just looking at her I included Piper in the beef. She was slowly walking but pushed over all those who were in her way to stand before me and examine me as if I was some kind of freak from a circus and she doubted its existence.

"It takes more than a little flash to kill me" smile "thought Zeus did poop a big one this time" and I broke down, I laughed as if there was no tomorrow my laughs weren't help by the looks they were all giving me as if I was crazy.

"_It's official I don't doubt that you're crazy BECAUSE YOU'RE FAR BEYOND CRAZY" _he shouted in my head but it didn't bother. The girls took a step back from me and were nervously glance up in the sky as if they were expecting another lightning bolt splitting the sky to fall on me but there was nothing. At the end we all laugh of it even if they were nervous laughs I managed to change my clothes and we ate our food. Two days later we were close to the wolf house as Thalia was told to take us there by Artemis if Piper really still wanted to go to the Roman camp. The day they were supposed to leave us, I took Clarisse, Nico and Thalia aside and said:

"Percy told me everything there was to say, I was probably the last to see him alive so I _know _what you did for him and what you didn't" I said the last part glaring at Thalia who for once since I knew her looked, the others looked at her then at me as if trying to understand something they didn't but as Aer told me what happened between Piper and Thalia and judging from their look, I understood that she didn't explain herself about what they heard as the last three days the two of them had been together with me talking or doing whatever we did. _Well good luck explaining yourself _I thought but not as bitterly as I expected myself to do. "So as you know he isn't in the underworld, there is only one thing I can tell you: he'll be back soon to his _friends _so don't lose faith but don't say it anyone" I kept on.

"But why doesn't he come back now that we need him" Clarisse asked me, angry that I didn't go back to them. _Weird_ I thought.

"So that they could use him like they first did?" I angrily asked her and it seemed to shut her.

"So what he's just going to run free in the wild" Thalia spat. I glare at her trying to calm myself, I inhale a big mass of her before saying in the coldest tone I never knew.

"You shouldn't be the one complaining about after all you choose to sit and shut your mouth when I all started. So do me a favor, shut your mouth and let the adults do the talking" she opened her mouth to say something but no sound came out of it, for a moment I felt bad to be so harsh with my cousin the guilt disappeared as fast as it came.

"No he's binding his time to get back the whole control of his body, and he is hiding from the Earth as she's the Crooked One's mother. When he's ready he will be back for _your__ friends_ not to the traitors and wanna be but you guys. That's the whole and only message he gave me, and don't even bother to IM him because it won't work for him as I already tried" I added before leaving them to their business.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

**The afternoon and night before the strike on Olympus**

Aphrodite was walking alone in the marble streets of Olympus, she could have just teleported herself in the council room but she wanted to take her time and _think about what had transpired _during yesterday's meeting, today Thalia's group should have met her daughter's and she wondered what happened. Without planning it, she runs straight into Artemis who had been looking for her for some time now.

"Aphrodite, Thalia sent me a message that they will meet your daughter's friends in 5 minutes" Artemis told her.

"Oh yeah I forgot that I told Thalia their location even if Piper doesn't want to go back at Camp Half-Blood because of what she found out there about little Perseus" she replied.

"It's a shame to have the life a such a man wasted like that, to think such a hero could die from a car accident..." she laughed humorlessly "After surviving from war, monsters, gods, titans and the most difficult a dive in the Styx it's a damn car accident that kills him, so far from heroes end..." she trailed as she thought about the first time she met the boy and how he became a man and then the choice he made after the war, she could stop herself to think about the day Thalia learn of his death. If anyone had told her that they saw Thalia in such a pitiful state she wouldn't have believe it but she was in the first box to watch it happening if she didn't knew better she would've thought that he was her lover, but as she cried Artemis managed to hear her says _"brother, why, why didn't I told you sooner"_ there was some guilt as if she thought herself somehow partly responsible of his fate. _That night no hunter was able to sleep as they could hear Thalia sobbing in her tent, when Artemis went to comfort her, the girl she was no way Thalia, there were scratches on arms what remained of her make-up was only dark lines going from her eyes to her cheekbones and there was drool coming out of her mouth. Artemis engulfed her in her arms and rocked her right and left muttering sooth words._

"_she killed my __brother__, my Percy she killed him...I could have save him...I chose her over him...why mi Lady, why didn't I tell him __milady» she__ looked at Artemis as if expecting her to tell her but Artemis only looked at her. "I killed my brother, I killed him...I'm sorry Sally, I killed your baby boy" she cried herself until there was no more tears in her body and then she slept. She didn't eat for 3 days straight, she would just sit there staring at trees with tears coming out of her eyes saying 'I killed you, I let them kill you"._

For few days Artemis thought that she had lost her mind and needed the help of Dionysus but thanks the gods that she managed to come back to her old self except that she was sadder and angrier which reminded Artemis a lot of her former lieutenant Zoë Nightshade. It was only later after two days of patience and interrogation that she managed to reap the truth out of Thalia's mouth: Annabeth cheated on Percy with his own brother, and instead of warning her cousin about it she hide it and even went as far as to lie to Percy just to cover Annabeth, but somehow he managed to learn the truth about it and that Thalia covered the little bitch. It was the last straw for Percy who had seen in less than 2 weeks most of the campers turned him their back plus gods along his father abandoning him, added to that the death of his family (including his unborn little sister Zoë) she remembered the girls name not only because she was named after her Hunter but also because Thalia wouldn't stop talking about her and how she planned for the girl to join the Hunt at 11 or 12 before she could like another boy than her brother even if that same brother as her own parents wasn't so ecstatic about giving his baby sister to the Hunt.

When Artemis learned of Thalia's deed, the thought of banishing her from the Hunt crossed her mind just as punishing her by taking off her statue as her lieutenant but she knew that punishing her would've been unfair as she and the other gods had forgotten about the man , she did to him what Hercules had done to Zoë except for the love story part, to think that she had acted just like all those boys and heroes she despised scared her, finally the boy was right when he claimed that all heroes weren't the same, but in the end he had the fate all those past heroes gave to maidens she would've been happy if it was a different hero who had that fate but unfortunately it had to befall on the most righteous as a punishment for not doing as his predecessors. So as there was no way to punish her lieutenant without accusing herself and the other gods of their wrongdoing, she let it go especially that there was no better punishment for Thalia than guilt of being responsible of her best-friend no brother's death as she called him herself. Artemis was lost in her thoughts and didn't register the smug smile Aphrodite was giving her.

"Oh the virgin Artemis as thinking about a hero, don't tell me that you actually liked him" Aphrodite cued with a dreamy face. Her words felt like water on Artemis as she came back to herself.

"Don't be ridiculous Aphrodite, I never had any interest in the boy which can't be said for some who were waiting for him to reach eighteen to jump on him. There is a report from Hecate that Thanatos disappeared, not only that the doors of death were taken and opened by Gaea now she managed to kidnap him I wonder how."

"Well maybe she used that Hunter guy Thalia and Hera had been talking about...ah I forgot to tell you even if Thalia reaches Piper I don't think that she will follow her to-"

"You already said that, and I think Thalia won't be happy about it. But what is your daughter going to do by herself, do I have to remind you that she's one of the seven we can't let her act by her wimp" Artemis cut her.

"Well good luck to Thalia because that Hunty boy is with her playing the role of her bodyguard until she reaches her destination." Aphrodite said as she glanced at her fingernails and frowned at them.

"But where are they heading to, and are you sure it's a good idea to leave her alone in the company of that boy?" Artemis asked still shocked by the girl's choice instead of going back to camp.

"Oh she would've probably liked it if it only consisted of the two of them on the road but unfortunately for her there's a third wheel which is Hunty boy's sister. She's going were the rest of the seven are Camp Jupiter of course" she said as if it was a small matter to her.

"WHAT" a voice behind them screamed startling them both, they turned to find the Queen of the heaven Hera walking toward them, "What did you just said about Piper?" she asked as she stood before the two goddesses.

"Why is my daughter's love life so interesting to you" Aphrodite suspiciously asked her.

"Because her love life can be just what we need to save Olympus from Gaea" she honestly told her. Artemis watched the exchange silently, she knew that Hera never took interest in demigods life especially not in their love life, _what did this accursed woman was planning for the Little Piper_ she wondered and she could tell that it was the same thing for Aphrodite but before she could ask Hera why the sudden interest the same woman said:

"If she want to go to camp Jupiter, let her go and don't try to convince her not to, especially if she's along with that boy. But there are few conditions that she must accept"

"Oh which are" Artemis asked her. Before Hera gave her a valuable answer Aphrodite came back to herself and asked Hera why did want her to go there, and complained in how she had already a difficult time in her first quest and why sending her to the roman Camp could help save them all.

"First I will have her memories post her meeting with Hunter wiped, I will only leave her that she went on a quest along with Jason to save me and that Hunter helped them on their way. The second is that she must go train with Lupa even if just for few weeks even if the feast of Fortuna is closing." she paused to let her conditions sink in the two goddesses minds than addressed to Aphrodite: "I'm interested in her love life because it might save us all, think about it, there is probably no way that we will find young Perseus soul or it might already be too late when we will and in case we do find him that if Gaea haven't find him yet, there was no guaranty that he will be willing to help us."

she looked and them for a moment, then Artemis shouted at her, "Nonsense, Perseus is a hero there's no way that he might refuse our help or betray us, he will always help his friends" she was glaring at Hera as if daring in her to say the contrary.

"I didn't know that you _knew _him _so well_" she told the Moon goddess, who bore an outraged look by the end of the sentence.

"And what is the innuendo Hera" she asked and spat her name almost as Thalia would've done.

"Oh but there is none dear, just exposing facts. Percy has no more friend, do you really think he would just come back to save Annabeth or Thalia (she spat the name as if poisonous) after what they did to him? And do you seriously think that he think of then and the rest of the campers as friends or more like a bunch of treacherous and ungrateful kids, but what about us or his father? No it will also be for the best if we don't find him, but it is necessary to have someone like that boy hunter fighting for us." she said, then the truth struck Artemis;

"You want to use his feelings for her to make him fight for us even if he didn't want to in the beginning" Artemis said looking at Hera with a shocked expression.

"Yes so that he will save us by taking control of power in Rome as Jason is absent and that foolish Jerric utterly useless in the present matter." she said with a wolf grin.

"But he doesn't love her" Aphrodite said her too shocked by Hera's plan but the concerned goddess didn't seem to mind that fact as she just shrugged it, "And don't plan for to make him fall for her, that boy's is above my magic or protected from it" she quickly added before Hera asked her to make him fall heel over her daughter.

"It's a shame that he doesn't, she's such a lovely thing. But whatever I should ask Hestia to spy on them if there is any fire or if one of the campers pray to us." and then she left for the throne room to see her sister just before the council could seat as the other two goddesses went to their thrones still processing what had been told and said.

After Hera told her about the situation with the campers in the nature at Gaea's length reach, Hestia started to look in any fire of an hearth if could find Thalia's group, she first registered their presence somewhere near Grand Junction but disappeared after a fight to find them later not far from Salt Lake City. Once she found them she noticed it by telepathy to Hera, Artemis and Aphrodite while Zeus and the others were arguing over the fact that not only the doors of death were now open even for humans, but also that Thanatos had been kidnapped probably by Gaea but Zeus didn't want to hear it even if he kept on clamming that the unknown demigod (Hunter) was responsible of it though Hera kept on saying that he was neutral which also didn't please him as the boy was without a doubt a powerful fellow. Hestia listened to the conversation that was going on earth, while listening she understood how much the boy was powerful, it was not only about strength (making 2 kids of the Big Three plus the best child of Ares look ridiculous) but the way he destroyed the spirit and mind over Luke Castellan and Silena Beauregard's betrayals scared her the most.

After Hestia's sign, Artemis decided to check for herself how Thalia and Piper were doing as they were the only maidens at the place. She had their location through Hestia and called for the closest deer to their location and spied on them: seeing the boy toying with Thalia like that made her admit for the first time after many reports that the boy was actually better, no far better than Percy which really scared and worried her to think that the boy could seriously fighting her Hunters. She had the feeling that the boy knew of her presence but it was only confirmed when she saw him deflect Thalia's bolt in her direction giving her a knowing smile. Even if it was her body, she felt the short but hard pain the deer had felt, she jumped on her throne with a yelp, shaking with still the sensation of the lightening of the poor deer she told the council of what she saw and heard while Hestia kept on spying. Most of gods were impressed thus worried of what Hunter did to Thalia but Zeus who was steaming on his throne while Hera was trying to calm him.

Few minutes later, there was a wonderful smell of BBQ that filled the room, for so long that it pleased all the gods and paused their arguing she didn't know for how long it filled their nostrils when it was suddenly it was replaced by the smell of...BBQ shit? Making hell break loose in the room many threw up at each others, Apollo threw up on Ares just as he opened his mouth, there were coughing and gagging that filled the room, some scream "Water", some fell unconscious on their vomit, some (like Aphrodite) threw perfume on themselves or went as far as to drink it, Dionysus spited his coke on those facing him. The all room smelled carbonized shit, _Who in hell cool be mad enough to feed shit to the gods _Artemis wondered because he did worst than Tantalus, she looked at Zeus to see him madder than she could recall ever seeing him, without a word he summoned his lightning bolt and threw it on earth just before Hera screamed a "NOOOOO" there was no doubt in their mind that the culprit would be fried in few seconds.

That same day the news was spreading like dust throughout the whole Olympus, making minor gods laughs at them whenever they could which made Artemis suspect that Hunter guy had no problem with the minor gods. The smell was on them for five days straight so wherever they went people would held their breath, or closing their nostrils, the "You smell like shit" became very famous on Olympus till Zeus banished the use of the sentence along with the word "shit". The male gods had the access to their bed forbidden by their wife along with their mistresses, the nymphs and other minor gods ran at the sight of any Olympian. One week later when Thalia's team made their report through IM Hestia, Hera, Aphrodite and Artemis almost fell butt first when they learned that the boy survived to the bolt.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

_**Back to Percy**_

Once we parted our way near Salt Lake City, just being near that lake made me feels like I was near the ocean and let me tell you that it had been a long time since the last time I took a dip into the ocean. When we reached there, I could stop myself to make a stop so that we could all take rest but in my mind it was about taking a bath in the lake. I went there as soon as we made our camp, I was going deep and talking with fishes that couldn't be identified me. I was so deep into the pleasure of swimming into salted water that I forgot to register the naiads that lived in there. They started to ask me who my immortal parent was, when I told them that it was a minor water god they started to giggle and flirt with me till the moment Piper came, and Chaos she was stunning. She wore some kind of sea blue bath short with its tank top with laces that went behind her neck, and instead of tying her hairs she let them run free she must have tried to keep her tomboy look but it only made her sexy. When she saw the nymphs she frowned as if she didn't like their presence here but why? I didn't know, so I tried to look away from her body but her eyes were like those of a child whose toy was taken.

The naiads looked at her then at me and giggled between them before they came forward me with flirtatious smiles.

"Is she you're girlfriend?" two of them asked me smiling at Piper.

"_Hell yes she is babe"_ the voice said making me cough.

"Are you alright? Do you want me to give you a massage or maybe some bouche à bouche" she said biting one finger.

"Uh-um" was my only answer, as two of her friends started to run their fingers on my chest, one put her mouth near my right ear to mutter seductively:

"You want some kiss of life" gods I was red, but saved when Piper said with a raised eyebrow:

"C'est quoi cette affaire de bouche à bouche" she asked in perfect French, she crossed her hands on her chest waiting for an answer, and the naiads just giggled then dive to the floor of the lake. When she saw that they disappeared into the lake, she turned around to glare at me then moved her hands on both sides of her hips taping her leg. I was expecting a "young man" or an angry "Percy" as my mother would do, because she looked so much like her the way she acted. I dropped my eyes on the water and finally came out of the water to sit with my legs in, it was the second time after yesterday that Piper found me with the same naiads in the same position and the same offer from them.

"Don't mind them, I told you, naiads are most of times flirtatious with heroes" I looked at her but there was no reaction coming from her, she had a look I sometimes saw in the eyes of children of Aphrodite but didn't have the idea of what it was. "Piper," I called her which startled her before blushing.

"_You're so obvious that it hurts, are blind or what" _I heard in my mind but gave it a mighty "LEAVE".

"Is the water good?" she asked without looking at me and trying to hide her blush which I found cute. To think that's it's now 7 months that we had been traveling together, _that's quite a feat _he thought.

I remembered when yesterday I told her that I wouldn't go with her till camp Jupiter, she almost scared as she kept on saying in French while sobbing "C'est pas juste, pourquoi tu me fais ça, pourquoi" "Que t'ai-je fais pour mériter cela, pourquoi ne veux-tu pas de moi à tes cotés, est-ce à cause de ces satanée nymphes? Va au diable avec tes putains de nymphes" at that last sentence, she ran to our camp and never talk to me till now, and I can't tell if she was talking to me or to the nymphs but I was pretty sure that she didn't like them as the only thing I understood in yesterday's words was "nymph" that she said twice. After that last bath we sneaked into a truck and went in Reno then walked to the wolf house were Hera zipped some of her memories and the wolf goddess Lupa trained her for a month while I 'polished' my glare or played with Aer and the wolves.

After that we walked to Martinez it was hot and sunny, I could feel the sea not far from us which enchanted me but also scared me because I didn't want to lose my peace by announcing that the supposed dead son of Poseidon is back. Not that I care anymore about being related to the bastard. Piper decide to make a stop at a mall to by a couple of things, and I must say that for someone who didn't have her full memories anymore she was doing pretty good _must be the experience after travelling with Jason_ I thought, but this place made me uncomfortable plus the two ladies far away were sniffing something in the air, I first thought that they were monsters but quickly drop the idea as I was sure the guy standing before them smelt not far from Nereus.

We stood there once there was nothing else to buy, Piper was disappointed that I really didn't go with her to camp Jupiter but I had already made my choice a long time ago.

"So this is the goodbye then" I said looking at her but she wouldn't look at my eyes.

"Yes, as you decided…" she said with a fair amount of bitterness in her voice but I didn't mind it. She had the right to be angry at me for refusing to fight another war for the gods but one was already enough for me. "Will we meet each other again?" she asked looking at me with water in her eyes.

"Shuuuut dove girl, there is no way that we won't see each other's again. You will surive all of this and we'll be laughing of it in a few months" I tell her as I hugged her "after all, I gave you the best training possible" I continued.

"Goodbye my Dove girl" I said as I kissed one of her cheeks, and just when Aer and I were about to part our own way, the two women who actually were Medusa's sisters began to chase us down while offering us some poisoned cake just because they smelt a fainted odor of her blood on me _Bloody hell_. They chased us in the all California night and day till the entrance of camp Jupiter where I had to carry a shit smelling old crazy toothless hippie _I guess this is payback, but this old one have to make a diet for sure _I thought. When I told the boy and the girl about Piper's memory problem, the girl nearly gave me a heart attack as she said:

"Ah you are just like Percy Jackson, don't worry Percy too managed to enter the legion" thought she didn't to like the other ME?

"_WHAAAAATTTTTTTTTT"_ I screamed in my mind.


	32. Chapter 32

**SORRY GUYS FOR BEING LATE? I HAD BEEN READING MANY BOOKS WHICH ENDED WITH ME NOT BEING ABLE TO POST. AND THERE ARE OTHER FICS I'M WORKING ON (4) THOUGHT ONLY TWO ARE ONLINE WHILE ONE IS JUST STARTED ON MY COMPUTER BUT IT'S IN MY VIEW THE MOST INTERRESTING AND THE LONGEST AND THE OTHER ONE IS OVER BUT ONLY IN MY HEAD SO IT'S ANNOYING FOR ME AND WORKING ON 4 DIFFERENT STORIES OF THE SAME BOOK HIS HARD. YOU'LL FIND IN SOME CHAPTERS THAT A TOOK PLACES FROM "SoN" BECAUSE I THINK THAT THEY ARE IMPORTANT SCENES AND I COULDN'T SEE HOW TO REWRITTE THEM.**

**Chapter 32**

**Percy POV**

I looked at the girl as she rushed us to go before her but I couldn't stop myself to think about what she had just said about me. For a moment I thought that I was just hearing things but now after looking at Aer there was no longer any doubt in my mind that I had heard what I thought I did, I looked at Piper to see a frown on her face as she thought probably why she knew my name.

"Why are you stopping, I don't want to get eaten by those bat women" the hippie old woman says from my back, _gods she smells worse than Peleus._ I didn't understand why I had to take that crazy woman on my back and I had the feeling that she was something else. I didn't know that I stopped walking till the moment shinny fingers grasped around my neck like a snake around a rat. "Move boy move. Forward hi ha" she screams in ears and I really wanted to drop her down as I held my breath.

"You know, there is something called chewing gum or if you're as monstrous as you are you can try to chew eucalyptus" I tell her as I start walking, Piper stopped to look back at me and even if I motioned for her to go forward but she didn't as if she was afraid that I would leave her alone thought I must admit that I was tempted to do it back then on the road before meeting Lupa. I glance at the collapsing tunnel thinking how the girl would survive but her friend reassure that she knows what she's doing so I keep on moving with Aer just next to me. I hear the sound of running water not far away just before us and judging by the sound of it we're heading straight for the river, before I could see it the girl pop out of the dirt as if coming out of a surprise cake.

"Hazel thanks the gods you're back" the buff Chinese boy with a baby face happily screams. The girl is startle for a moment and glances at the old hippie behind my back but before she could says anything we hear a boom. We all turn around to look were the sound came from to see the gorgon sisters emerging from the collapsed tunnel.

"Why can't they die?" Hazel says but seeing the gorgons flying in our direction we chose to listen to Piper who tells us to continue to move. Frank the Chinese baby man chooses to stay behind to cover us using his bow. The hippie grandma sings an old Greek lullaby as we cross the river named _Little Tiber_ from what the hippie says and I must admit that she gets so much on my nerves that I think about dropping her right here in the middle of the river. I feel strangely week since the moment I went into the water, I felt threatened by everything around me _what the heck _I thought before my great friend came to me.

"_How my favorite demigod is doing_" he pauses as if considering me or what I was caring _"what the hell are you carrying? Is that your mortal grandmother's mummy that you're carrying" _I hear him laughs his head off.

"_Yeah funny, but would you mind telling why am I feeling kind of weak and vulnerable?"_

"_Oh that, it's because Achilles' curse is Greek and not Roman, just remember that in Rome you do like Romans"_ there is a pause and I consider leaving it like that before I hear _"Be strong and brace yourself"._

I didn't like the message especially the brace yourself part which painfully remind me of Poseidon's message just after my quest from the sea of monsters, I push it in the corner of my mind and decide to really cross the river although it seems like trying to pull me. I hear someone telling to make it faster, but as I looked up I'm surprised to find that there was an army of teenagers in Roman battle armors with all the equipment which goes with it. There was a girl in a ridiculous purple cap on a female white pegasi and she looked like someone I saw somewhere but that I couldn't recall. She had black hairs put in a single long braid, she was beautiful and wore a hard face of a commander she kind of remind me of Zoë Nightshade. I think that I stare at her too much judging by the glare Piper was giving me, I look around to see if I could find a face that I knew when I saw someone I had prayed was beheaded…Jerric Marshall, my wonderful half brother. I felt anger rose inside me as a snake and I could feel the water young Tiber fighting my control over it as it starts to boil. I hear a gasp and see some Romans with their lunched ready to shoot as all of them rose them in the sky.

I turn around to find Frank hanging from the sky by his arms which was held from each side by a gorgon, I could see the pain in his eyes as he starts to bleed. There was no way for his companions or friends to shoot down the gorgons without killing which was probably why they didn't do it. I glance behind me to see Hazel sick worried for as friend as much Piper was, the later sends me a pleading look that said "_do something please, I know you can_". That's when I decide to do something that I was holding myself back from doing it. I move my arms from the bony legs of the woman behind me then unlock her grasp around my neck and she fells butt first which she didn't appreciate.

"This is outrageous, it's no way to treat an old lady" she protested.

"I should've done that sooner" was my whole reply before I forget the shocked faces of the legionnaires. I took out my sword _Antarsía_ (Rebellion) from my hair and in my back I could hear some Romans laughing and asking what I would do with a hairpin in its slim form and walked to the river, as I didn't want to reveal my parentage, I walked into the water and took my stance with the tip of my sword in the water, and before anyone could understand what I planned to do, I swung my sword into an arc and a trail of water rose itself from the river at the tip of my sword and shot itself at the gorgons along with some bucket of water. I was proud to see that I didn't cut the boy but a few of his hairs as the water went slightly above his head but successfully cut the gorgons' heads along with their bat wings.

The three of them fall into the river thought only the boy was still whole, there was a long gasp from everybody but Aer and Piper as if they what I had in mind, Hazel cried his name and looked relieved when frank came out of the water, some people cheered but it all died when the golden powder tried to raise itself but was swept by the water. Hazel ran to him as he put two flacks in his pocket but Percy was the only one who saw him, they stared at each other for a moment before a voice interrupt them.

"You're outrageous boy, don't you know what delicacy is" the old woman complained at me.

"Well it obvious that you know the meaning of the word _diet_ or _wash up_ and I should've dropped you sooner" I seriously tell her which didn't help. But I didn't care about what she was saying as Piper and Arya ran to me.

"How did you do it?" the both simultaneously asked him. Before I could answer to them frank was next to me to mutter thanks.

"You're welcome, but you're lucky that it worked" seeing their lost expressions I explained "That's the first time it actually worked because most of time everything on the way get cut" they four looked at me as if I was crazy but they didn't have the time to rebuke me for the old woman began to glow and ended up being a seven-foot-tall goddess in blue dress: Hera, no she looked different and then there was one of the biggest concert of noise that I ever heard as hundred of teens and kids in armor all fell on their knees. Only Piper Arya and I remained standing. "Juno" I heard hazel mutters, _so this is Hera's Roman form_ I thought to myself. She glanced at us then at her people? Then gave a stern look and opened her godly mouth:

"Romans, I present to you Piper McLean the daughter of Venus, and…" she showed Piper but then when it was my turn she didn't know what to say. I could see the embarrassment and then frustration as she didn't know my name or anything to say about me, I feign not seeing her and went as far as giving her back a lost glance.

"_You really do know how to embarrass goddesses, don't you"_ great I thought to myself before focusing on him.

"_Great, why do you always like to talk when you're not expected" _that bastard likes to do whatever he like even if his in my head.

"_Well there is always noise in the cinema when you least expect it" _What the hell is he talking about I wanted to ask him but remembered that to him it was like some kind of TV Show.

"_I needed you back then to understand what was wrong when I crossed the river" _

"_Oh that time? Sorry I had to get to the toilet, after all the juice that I took, I had to evacuate it and there's no TV in my toilet so I couldn't hear you"_ he nonchalantly voiced.

Now tanks to him I had the image the most powerful being shitting him after watching TV as if I asked for it.I truly was exasperated by this guy, just how much annoying he was I still wondered.

"_Oh gods, why do I have to keep up with you" _I expected him to just shrugged it off or laugh at me but he just seriously replied to me.

"_For the hundredth time because I'm your best friend _(like hell)_. For the water, well Little Tobey-" _

"_Tiber"_ I interrupted him before he could say another non sense.

"_Whatever, Lil' Tob washed away the remaining of your curse because in Rome only Roman curses survive" _I was shocked to learn that I could easily lose the curse of Achilles as if some painting on my skin by just jumping into the Tiber.

"_Just remember that in Rome you do like the Romans"_ he laughed at me.

I suddenly felt conscious of my surrounding as I looked at Hera's embarrassed face and I loved it to humiliate her before these Romans who felt embarrassed that one of their goddess didn't even know the name of the boy who carried her into Rome. I knew from their look they expected my identity so I obliged.

"Alexander Johnson is the name, son of some water spirit but that's none of your business" I could see the shocked and betrayed expression of Piper that I dared only now to reveal my name just now and to some stranger when we had been on the road for over seven months, but I didn't have the time to dwell on it as the others were shocked that I talked this way to Juno their great goddess. "Oh and she's my sister, Arya" I nodded my head into her direction.

"For long she has been struggling to reach you but now she made it to you. Their fate…" she glanced at me and seeing glare quickly changed her words "Her fate is in your hands. The Feast of Fortune comes quickly, and Death must be unleashed if you are to stand any hope in the battle. Do not fail me" she said the last part looking straight at me as if it concerned me and I got the feeling that my time here wouldn't be peaceful, with that she shimmered and then disappeared as all mortals close their eyes.

Piper still had her confused expression on her face and unable to understand what just happened and I felt sorry for her, it mustn't be easy to only remember the last couple of months of your life. The girl in purple cloak came forward and glanced at Piper

"So, a daughter of Venus uh?" Piper just glared at her, and then she turned to take a look at me. She eyed me from toes to the tip of my head and I felt a shiver on my spin as I could tell that she was trying to see through me or beyond Aer veil that's when I understood that she was probably seeing the resemblance to Percy Jackson.

"So tell me who are you" she asked me with authority which made me understand that she must be the boss here.

"Oh don't mind me, I'm just her babysitter. So as the delivery was made I'll be taking my leave" when I started to take a step back Aer gave him a questioning look but Piper ran to me and took my hand.

"Wait, you promised that you would stay with me, don't go please" but before I could utter a word, a voice that I wouldn't forget reached my ears.

"Don't worry hot girl, I can babysit you if you and I will gladly take care of you" it laughed at the end with some other voices along with it.

"_Uh-uh don't let him get under your skin, cool down_" I heard in my head but I started to see red.

"_He was already under my skin since I first met him_" I angrily said as _Antarsia_ was already in my hand. Piper hastily turned around so that she could see who talked, she glared at him then gave him a smug smile.

"Sorry kid, you're just too young for me but I can find you some little girl" everybody laughed at that even the tough girl in purple smiled at this but you could still tell that she doesn't like this kind of indiscipline.

"_Your girlfriend is really feisty, and I like it_"

"_For once I must admit that your right and I like her just the way she is" _I replied.

"Shut it Jackson" she ordered him before he could open his mouth to reply at Piper who was startle by the name.

"You're Perseus Jackson?" she asked him shocked to see the famous PJ.

"The one and only, babe" he seductively smiled at her, which without knowing it infuriated me but it seemed to me that only Aer and hazel took notice of my anger.

"You're too young to be Perseus Jackson, he should now be 16 not 15 as you look…and you shouldn't be alive as he died in October few days after his family" I felt something scramble inside me when I heard again the death of my family but the thing that got my attention is Hazel's reaction: she gasped and tense when Piper said that the bastard shouldn't be alive. I stared at her or particularly at her eyes which were golden and I could tell that even with her brown skin, she looked like someone that I knew but I couldn't tell who.

My accursed little brother paled when he heard what she said and more than anyone, it was the girl in purple who suddenly found interest in Piper's words but she genuinely mask it by a hard face _what in hell this girl have to do with me_ I wondered but it all stopped when she ordered everyone to go back to their work including Frank who expected to go with us but Reyna, the girl in purple reminded him that he was on _probatio_ or something like that which made him disappear faster than I expected him. The remaining three of us followed Reyna as she walked to their "base" with Hazel closing the line behind me.

The valley was really beautiful I couldn't help but smile at Piper's big eyes as she took in the land, her brows met as if she tried to remember something but couldn't and once again I cursed Hera for taking her memories but I was happy that she let her keep the moments with Aer and I. as we walked we started to see shimmered form, but getting closer I understood that it was spirits or ghosts. Whenever one saw us it would curse and mutter "greggus" before disappearing. Hazel told us that they were always like that but I could see in her eyes that it wasn't true and that she too didn't understand it. In the end we reached the principia in which were two thrones and two dogs: a golden and a silver dog that sat on both of her sides. She asked Piper to tell her everything she remembered but not before telling that the dogs were able to detect lies and in which case they would gladly go after her. Piper told her whatever she remembered but when the name Jason came out of her mouth Reyna shot out of her chair, Hazel yelped and the dogs showed us their shinning fangs.

"Where is Jason, tell me now or you shall regret it" Reyna threatened with a dagger on her hand while I already had my pin in my hand. Reyna inhaled for a moment and _order_ her in a kinder tone to tell her where Jason was.

"I don't know…I remembered that we both went on a quest along with another boy…" she clenched her head as if it hurt, she gave me an accusing gaze and added with her finger at me then at Arya "I remember…you too, you joined us later" it brought Reyna and Hazel's attention at us "but after that I only remember a scary voice and then the time with you".

"What about Jason Grace" she half screamed at Piper who by now was shaking, the slightest memory of Gaea would scare anyone with normal mind.

"_Then why aren't just as scared as her_" he asked me just when I thought that I was over with him for the day.

"_You have to listen pretty because I said 'anyone with normal mind' which I don't have. Now if you got it I would like to only follow one conversation_" when I came back to myself, all eyes were on me as if expecting an answer from me.

"I saw the Grace boy when on their quest…" when I said 'Grace boy' Reyna looked murderously at me as if she wanted to cut my throat for disrespecting whatever god he was to them while the dogs snarled and smiled at me which I returned. I did as if I didn't saw them and said everything except for CHB and everything related to it, when I reached the undying monsters part, hazel and Reyna shared a look that told me they already noticed this.

"Yes we know about it" Hazel said as she shuddered while Reyna only nodded at this,

"But do you know that there's the biggest army of monster heading here to destroy your sweet camp?" I told her with a smug smile, she griped her dagger so hard that I thought the hilt would break when Hazel was so alarmed that I would've been surprised if she fainted on the spot.

"I know, but not about the size" I looked at Aer who just nodded at me, "Lupa had been fighting them so buy us time" her voice faltered at the end and there was a dead silence in the room. After a moment Reyna's voice broke the silence "When will Jason come back?" she asked with hope in her voice.

I took a good look at her dead serious "I honestly don't know and I swore on the Styx not to tell what I know about him or where he is". Reyna's face became once again a cold mask.

"Hazel, take the girl to the auguries then to the baths. As for you I don't know but I want you to stay with us longer and your sister can live in town till she come at age to join the legion…"

"So that I can fight your war, no thanks I already have enough enemies and adding mother Earth along with her children the giants on the list is my last wish. And I want to be far away from her reach as she hasn't focused on me yet, so once Piper's settle here I will take my leave" Aer was surprise by what I just said while Piper was full of hurt and anger, so much that she stormed out of the principia.

Reyna smiled at this as if seeing something that I couldn't "we shall see about it later Alexander Johnson" with that we left her to meet Piper out and I tried my best not to look in her eyes nor talk to her fearing that she would charm speak me into something stupid.

"_Thank you_" I said in my mind.

"_For what_?" he asked me.

"_Don't play dump, I know that you're the one who made it so that the dogs wouldn't be able to tear me down because I lied to her_"

"_Well you're welcome; it would have been boring to bring you back from the death to have you in the end torn by some metallic pets not a heroic death in my view though some gore image but I'm only interested in some actions. The moment you stop bringing fights and soap into your life, I'll move on_."

"_Oh her I thought that we would be friends_" with a fake sad tone.

"_Oh really?_" he had a hopeful hint in his voice.

"_Not even in Tartarus_" I laughed at him at the end, it was so funny screw him. Too bad that I couldn't freely laughed because of the people around me nor couldn't I see his face but just imagining it made me full of joy.

"_You bastard…_"

"_Language sir, language_" I smile at his frustration and went on to listen to what Hazel was saying. She asked if Piper personally knew the supposed Percy Jackson that's why she knew that the false PJ (Jerric) wasn't actually me.

"I don't think that I knew him, but something tells me that I know how he looked like…" she scrunched her face, "argh damn amnesia" she screamed.

"Well it seems that you're not the only one who doubt his identity" Hazel said glancing at Piper then at Aer and I. "and you're not the only one with amnesia here"

"Who else does?" Piper eagerly asked.

"The supposed Percy arrived here without his memories, and when he said his name Reyna was about to kill him before she stopped herself. After that she interrogated him during the whole night and probably concluded that he wasn't Percy because she never called him by that name, there also my brother who says that he's not Percy."

"It would be interesting for me to meet with your brother" I voiced but we all turned our head in Piper's direction because she kept angrily spouting Reyna's name. We understood that she was angry about her.

"Do not be angry against Reyna, she had a lot on her mind and she had to manage the whole legion by herself since Jason's disappearance. She's a good person once you learn to know her" she looked at me strangely "so what about you Alex, you don't mind if I call you that right? (I nodded at her to say it was ok) what is your relationship?" I butted my toe on something and nearly broke my chin if it wasn't for Aer who grabbed my arm.

"What's wrong with you Alex" she helped me back to my feet and turned around to face Hazel, "Alexander is my brother…"

"_Graecus_" some ghost spats which earn him a glare from Aer "thought I can't tell you the relationship between the two of me so ask the concerned people" Hazel just look at Piper and I who were beet red, she gave us a smile which made us redder than tomatoes.

"There is nothing between us" Piper said as she stormed ahead of us which only made Arya and Hazel smile knowingly. We all went to the auguries, well to Jupiter's temple. On the way to the Temple Hill, Hazel bought us cappuccinos and cakes as we all were hungry, I won myself a teddy bear in the form of a whale and I gave it to Piper which earned me funny faces from Aer and hazel. When we reached the Temple Hill I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched but I forgot it once I saw Poseidon no Neptune's temple of the size of a tool shed made me into an uncontrollable fit, so much that Hazel must've thought that I was crazy but seeing the three dried-up moldy apples made me laugh even more, Hazel explained to us that Romans feared Neptune and wasn't really fan of the guy.

"So how is Jer- I mean Percy holding that up in the legion?" I managed to catch myself before spitting what I knew.

"Humf, that boy doesn't care about anyone else than himself, he thought that being brought here by a goddess would've made him important but once he found himself in jail, he took it pretty bad and blamed it on his father instead of his ego and cockiness. So he doesn't really care anymore" Hazel explained to us.

"Oh" was the only thing that came out of my mouth while it was something else for Aer.

"To think he abandoned the son who loved him for that obnoxious upstart, he let him died like a simple mortal the-"

"Arya, stop it" I quickly cut her before she could spit everything about me, a Greek among a camp full of hostile Romans.

"What? I'm just stating the truth and you more than anyone else know that" she replied as if it was small matter to discus around here. Hazel was looking at us strangely and Piper looked like she was trying to remember something by her mind wasn't able to wrap itself around it, Hazel eyes went to Piper who now looked frustrated and then stopped us.

"What are you people talking about?" but before one of us could say anything the answer came from Piper.

"Perseus Jackson, son of Poseidon" we all turned around to look at Piper who had a faraway look "titans bane…" she kept on before violently grasping her head as if it hurt too much. After saying my name, there was a shudder all around us and suddenly I understood why I felt watched, there were godly statues all around us that had eyes glued on us.

"You shouldn't say names, Aer neither should you Piper because they have power especially when there is an unwanted audience" I motioned in the direction of the statues all around us.

"Let's go" hazel urged us with a hint of fear in her voice.

We all went to the Jupiter Optimus Maximus temple that had purple lightening crashing or coming out on the top of its roof. Before getting in, we passed a giant statue of the king of gods in a purple toga that wouldn't even fit Tyson, I could stop thinking "_and the guy I fed shit"_ when Piper said "Zeus, king of the gods". Inside it we found a thin boy about 18 who supposedly read the gods will by ripping teddy bears and I had to stop myself and Piper when he ripped her whale, at the end he made some kind of allusions of a book, a praetor and smartly threatened Hazel but I was too much occupied of calming Piper as she cried in my arms once she calmed down Hazel took us to see her brother I almost called him by his name before she told us, that's because it was none else than Nico Di Angelo son of Hades.

"I know you" Piper declared and she turned around to look at me expecting me to confirm what she just said but Aer and I faked not recognizing him, Hazel doubtfully looked at Piper "I know that I know you but…but…Alex you know him you too Arya"

"I know a lot of people but not your boyfriend here" Nico claimed before quickly shutting his mouth.

"He's not my boyfr- how do you know that? See he knows about us" she effectively found the loop in his words and from the corner of my eyes could see that now Hazel was sure that piper wasn't just inventing things. I quickly shook Nico's hand before leaving him with his sister, on our way back I couldn't stop thinking about what happened with the satyr and also about Vitellius the ghost of hazel's legion.

Later we all went to went to the baths seeing how most of us hadn't took any bath since last summer, the Romans bath were so good that none of us came out before half an hour and we only came out because some girls or ghost in my case came to rush us out for a meeting to see if some of us would integrate the legion. Once out a found almost two hundred bunch of teenagers in line, some in armors and others like hazel that just arrived along with Nico in their regular clothes. There was a military order all around and Reyna was like the general in charge who made the inspection of his troops, even the Lares were in line which surprised me as they had no way to arm anyone but I shut myself. Hazel went straight for her cohort line as Nico came to stand with us; Piper was at my right just after Aer she looked so stunning so beautiful and the way her hairs waved it's not as if when she hadn't bathed she wasn't beautiful but now she was shinning like a star and some legionnaires had their eyes on her. Octavian call out the colors and some guys came out of the lines with cohorts' standards and the last one only had a long pole, I could feel the shame running along the all legion at the sight of the pole "They lost their eagle, biggest shame for Romans" Nico whispered me. The Reyna began an announcement about what happened earlier

"…Juno herself guided them here and proclaimed her a daughter of Venus" some kids looked for her and piper just smiled at them, "they seek (I cough) she seeks to join the legion, what the auguries say?" Reyna asked Octavian.

"They are favorable" he then turned to us "do you have credentials, letters of recommendation?" the boy's eyes where mocking us, even if it was only Piper that he was mocking it wouldn't have pleased me.

"Maybe you should go and ask Juno herself for a letter or why didn't you do it when she came, oh yes you wasn't there right?" Octavian turned purple as he stare at me, the whole first line which I assumed was the first cohort stared at me with murderous looks especially Jerric while Reyna, Hazel and Nico looked stunned, and the Chinese wrestler made a face that almost made me laugh "Give her one of your legionnaires and once she kicks his ass then you would have your recommendation".

"And what about you _Alexander,_ You also want to fight someone for your recommendation" he spat my name at my face but I knew it would be useless to get angry with this guy so I cooled myself, piper was give me a pleading look to stop me from any nonsense that was playing in my head.

"Even if I wanted to, and without offense to you wanna be Octavian Cesar, I don't see anyone here that will manage to put a good fight against me, so no thanks I don't wanna play the bully here" I give him a sweet smile as there to be angry voices began to rise from the different cohorts. Reyna had a dangerous glint in her eyes since my last word and I was expecting her to shout "ATTACK" but it was Octavian who spoke.

"No letters and now with your words nobody is going to stand for you" he smugly smiled at me, he kept looking at me until someone shouted "I will". There was a deafening silence following the words and we all looked for the person who spoke, till more than two hundred pair of eyes fell on a bulky baby faced Chinese.

"I will" he stood his ground "he saved my life" Octavian laughed when he saw who talked while Reyna didn't really look pleasant while there were shouts of protest in the cohorts , I could tell that he was nervous but was fighting his feelings.

"Frank Zhang" Reyna said glaring at him after silencing everyone with a gesture of her hand and then reminded him his position and how he was still undetermined so he couldn't stand for anybody with shamed the poor guy beyond anything else, just the moment I thought the fight option would be the next step until someone else spoke.

"What Frank mean is that he saved both of our lives, I will stand for piper McLean" now it was the turn for a brown skinned thirteen years old girl to defend Pipes: Hazel. Octavian looked at her as if he could reap her heart while Nico smiled at her and gave her an encouraging nod which she responded the same.

"Yes but the boy wanted to test someone from my cohort on her so she shall only join the fifth if she managed to beat her opponent" he turned around to face me "and you shall fight all the cohorts" he told me wrinkling his nose.

"Gladly I gave him a wonderful smile" and he smiled back as if we were sharing a joke but Nico looked nervous, worried.

"Why not making Alexander fight during today's games, it will be better if he fights beside Piper's cohort if she manages to join of course" he tried to sooth the tension.

"Wonderful, I like your idea ambassador of Pluto. We shall do as you suggest if the praetor Reyna is ok with it" he said with bliss as he turned around to have Reyna's permission and she didn't look that happy to have her hand forced especially by a snake like Octavian or a son of Pluto but she eventually gave in.

"Now let's see who shall fight Miss McLean? Yes, Andrew shall win the fight for the first cohort" and I must say that I was happy that he didn't choose Jerric because I knew she wouldn't stand against him without using her charmspeak especially if he used his power, but a regular camper was ok and the Andrew boy didn't look like a veteran possibly a new recruit but it was still ok.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

**Hazel**.

Hazel was tired by the day, first old monsters unseen for the last thousand years chasing some demigod and one of them carried no one else than the Queen of Heavens herself but it didn't stop him to humiliate her thrice. At first she thought when she saw the little group that they all were gods, especially Alexander with his good looks and well built body, he was screaming "hot" then his girlfriend who might have been Venus with her exotic looks but it turned out that she only was her daughter. She was sure that Jerric and Alexander knew each other's and there was some history between them because Alex's eyes gave it all though she was sure no one but Arya and herself saw it. The little girl was more mature than she seemed and it could've been explained by monsters chasing them for the last two months but hazel wasn't certain about. The other thing but which was a half surprise is that they all met Jason and piper by the frown she made when they talked about him meant that something happened between them and she was sure that Reyna didn't miss it, Reyna, her praetor was startled by Alex's voice and the whole time they talked, she was looking for something threw his face but couldn't find it though only the boy's voice was giving her something.

The other one who knew the little group was her brother and piper betrayed when she recognized him and the panic look he had and later the knowing look he shared with Alex. The thing that marked that he knew them was the only thing he said about the group once they were alone, hazel asked him what he thought about them and his answer remained in her head: _"Alexander, we had met some weeks ago, he's a cool guy and a true friend. You can confide in him without fear but know this, don't ever let him fight Jerric or he's going to kill him in the most gore and painful way that can be imagined and no matter what don't make him angry" there was something in his voice that told her that he knew or better he experimented the guy's mood "piper is a sweat girl, though scary when angry. She may not be like the other girls but for the well-being of Olympus don't let anybody gets between them" she wanted to ask what it meant but he beat her to it "you will understand it later, well if everything goes well"_ it was all he said and the matter was closed.

But now seeing how Alexander went to piper to comfort her before her fight against Andrew, he put each one of his hands on a side of her head and locked eyes with her. He her head and muttered some words to her at first she negatively shook her head but the she started to nod at him and he glanced at her opponent and again spoke to her. The way he was looking her right now, whatever words he was saying to her found their target because the lost and confused look disappeared from her eyes to be replaced by a fierce look and determination. How could they say that there was nothing between them when they would steal a glance at one another whenever the other wasn't looking, were they so blind that they could not to see their feelings? She wondered herself but she was sure that it was Alexander who was running from her because piper was in adoration for the guy, she knew not only from her instinct but also from what she was seeing that Alexander wasn't the type to profit of a girl's feeling which was the contrary of Jerric since he came out of his _detention_ the guy didn't stop to go after any girl, at first it worked on some but now the whole legion knew of him and the next time he would go for any of those who lived in Rome Reyna promised him castration. The funny thing was that every girl of minor gods had been forbidden by their parents to have any type of contact with him though she didn't know why and if Reyna hadn't voice her thoughts she wouldn't have known. But the other thing she didn't understand was why she saw a resemblance between Alexander and Percy as if brothers, she put a end to all of it when the two fighters went before Reyna who gave them consigns.

The fighters faced each other's for a short amount of time then piper lunged herself on Andrew, there was some kind of shameful comments and adjectives said by some legionnaires most of them from the first and second cohort, those words would've made nuns turn as purple as camp's shirt; Percy wouldn't stop whistling whenever piper moved and it shamed hazel to have a fellow girl treated like the prostitutes in New Orleans back then. Pier kept on attacking without giving a chance to Andrew to counter with his spear, but hazel had to admit that she was good even if she felt that piper wasn't giving her best. She glanced toward her brother to see him looking at piper as if expecting a result to some kind of training while Alexander had an impassive face. Reyna was interested by her fighting style and was analyzing it like a predator its prey and Octavian was furious to see that his champ was only on defense. Piper stopped attacking and glance at Alex who gave her a slight nod and then the dance started in the other way with Andrew attacking her fiercely, piper backing, Octavian smiling like a bad guy in an old spaghetti western, Nico and Alex along with Arya kept their cool which meant that there was something coming up later, and the cohorts shouted even more shameful words. Piper was defending herself quite good almost as if she had already fought someone with a spear _she must have had a good trainer, maybe Alexander? No he doesn't have a spear or he would've used it against the gorgons _she thought, Andrew tried to maim her countless time but the girl would just sidestep or lean her torso back with the tip of the spear facing her, it went like that for few seconds when in one thrust she sidestepped, grabbed the spear with one hand and leaning on it jumped and kicked Andrew's torso. The poor guy was so startled by her actions that when he got himself kicked hard, he released his spear and went on the dirt but before piper could be on him he already had his knife out and then piper took out hers which was the same material as Percy's sword but hazel could tell that piper had been using a knife longer than Andrew or was well taught because just after two blow piper worked her way out from his brute strength with a head butt as she quickly hooked his leg with hers making him fall. She jumped knee first on his torso and they all heard the sound of a rib snapping as Andrew screamed he was shut by the hedge of piper's knife on his neck. People from the fifth cohort cheered but she was looking for Alexander's praises who only gave her a nod thought hazel saw a faint smile on his lips when she didn't look. She quickly hided the hurt and disappointment with a faked smile as Arya hugged her then Nico congratulating her, she stood before Alex as a pupil before her teacher waiting for his words but Alex just hugged her quite tightly from hazel's perspective while muttering words that made her bliss _he must have a wonderful voice or be a child of Apollo to make her happy whenever she isn't_ hazel muttered to herself.

Alex came out of the hug then glanced at the injured legionnaire being care by the healers; he smiled once again at piper who was glowing with happiness "sorry great Octavius Cesar, it looks like you have lost one of your precious legionnaire; but never worry, miss McLean shall replaced him for twice though not in the first but fifth cohort that accepted her of course" he said to Octavian with sarcasm with English accent and made a courteous bow at him. Anyone who could humiliate Octavian like that was ok with hazel, everybody laughed at him even some of his own cohort snickered while Reyna just smile.

"I will see on the games later Alexander Johnson and I shall make you regret it" he angrily left shoving anyone on his out. Hazel went to piper and her brother who was clapping her back.

"You was awesome, even if it was unromanlike, you gave him a good fight" hugging piper before frank came to say the same things. "But you didn't give your best shot right?" the two of them said at the same time which made them blush earning them snickers from the others.

"True I didn't give my best, as someone says: why giving your best when fighting a child, well to be full of pride but I fought someone who was better with a spear than Andrew is." She smiled at them; you could still see the excitement in her eyes.

"But who taught you how to fight so well with a knife?" frank urged her eager to know if it was Lupa or someone else.

"Well if you want to know, my teacher is just here and you can ask him for yourself" she turned around and pointed her finger at Alexander who was still watching Octavian's retreating figure.

"Really? You're an expert with the spear Alex" frank asked Alex who just turned around to give a little glare (but without anger in it) and she smiled back at him.

"No, I prefer a sword though I have a friend who's better than me with a spear…isn't that right Nico?" he said with a smug smile while hazel's brother glared at him and shrugged his question off, hazel and frank understood that he would say nothing. Reyna looked at piper with pity once the ritual of acceptance was made by the whole fifth legion even if some did it halfhearted.

"Congratulations, Piper McLean. You stand on _probatio__. _You will be given a tablet with your name and cohort. In one year's time or as soon as you complete an act of valor, you will become a full member of the Twelfth Legion Fulminata. Serve Rome, obey the rules of the legion, and defend the camp with honor. _Senatus Populus que Romanus__!"_ she heeled her pegasi away but not before giving a hungry look at Alex. What she didn't know is that Alexander threatened her pegasi to a Pegasus soup out of him just like the titan lord planned to do _and I heard that it's quite testy, so if you tell my lineage to anyone or beast there will be a feast_ he told it in its head.

"_I didn't know that you were a bully, so why do you hate them when you actually are on" someone said in his head._

"_Well I had to protect my cover, after all it wouldn't be good if their parents found out whom I am right" _

"_Yes, but threatening to eat him, do you know that the first Pegasus was your brother, actually half brother, a son of Poseidon and Medusa so his descendant are somehow your x time great-nephews and I have the feeling that you'll be meeting other relatives of yours in few days beside those you already have met"_

"_Other pegasi or more monster like, because I don't want to have another sibling trying to kill me or shoo me away so which is it?"_

"_Well it depends on what you monster but I think, some will be but you'll be surprise just wait for it and we shall have fun"_ with that he just left the same way he came. He turned around to see Reyna and hazel staring at him but he didn't really care as he didn't voice his thoughts nor did he act as if talking.

"Centurions," Reyna said, "you and your troops have one hour for dinner. Then we will meet on the Field of Mars. The First and Second Cohorts will defend. The Third, Fourth, and Fifth will attack. Good fortune." Nico hadn't stop praising her sister for standing for piper when she barely knew her and his comment made her happier than she had been since she left New Orleans.

"Let's go eat so that we can win" she managed to say between a hug from Nico and a clap from Arya and frank.

In the end we found ourselves on our table which means the one next to the kitchens, I was seated across the two girls who were facing Nico and frank and between the two groups at the end of the table sat one of our centurion Dakota who never sit there but most probably do now to welcome piper in his cohort. We all summoned our foods and drinks; it didn't surprised Alexander or any of the girls that food and drinks could appear out of the air, we talked of random things while frank kept on asking Nico about his trips or Alexander about his fighting experience until Alexander summoned a blue soda. I had seen many things since I came back but I have never seen nor heard about a blue soda, even piper and Nico didn't miss it. We all stared at him and he didn't seem to register our looks till after drinking and once he finished he saw us staring at us but just shrugged it.

"I had a friend" he ominously started when he saw that no one questioned him about it "who is well known to Nico, had the habit his mother and him to make flue foods to annoy his step-father and because it was his favorite color. So whenever we met each other's at a magical place in New York he would always take blue foods and drinks whenever he could…" as if to prove his point blue waffles suddenly appeared in his plate. He stared at them with so much sadness in his eyes that I thought he would cry but it was suddenly replaced by such a frightening anger that I thought impossible to witness it. He slowly stood and tossed the whole thing: blue waffles and plate and stared at it burning he looked like he wanted to see something or expecting something else than the steam but I didn't understand and no one else did. But when he talked about his _'friend'_ I saw a pain look in Nico's eyes as much in Arya's but the one who interested me was piper as she just looked lost then sad trying hard to remember something but she looked sadder when she saw the blue waffles. Everybody was silent and only Dakota's voice broke it.

"Congratulation for your fight and welcome to the piper party" he frowned "to the party piper, you should enjoy well your victory because it might be your last one you will ever have in our cohort mainly as we're going to fight the First and Second Cohorts; you can be damn sure that Octavian won't miss you." Piper looked scared at the thought of the whole cohort coming after her but her confident look came back when Alexander said that he would take care of it. It went on from that to my arrival, how related I was to Nico, and how I was accepted with praises from Dakota and frank while piper kept on asking things about Nico as if she could regain the memory of their meeting.

When Dakota said that piper's victory might be the last one he didn't know how well he was speaking of the truth, and it made me shudder to think that the whole camp will soon be overwhelmed by monsters who shall slaughter whoever they shall be in found camp and there was no way to move the all campers in few days especially with the thought of a bigger army than them coming to wipe us out. To think that Nico told me that now was _my second chance to make things right_, it made her want to laugh. My dark thoughts were interrupted by the voice of Don the faun and for the first time since I knew him, I was happy to see/hear him.

"My favorite girl" he came forward dodging at flying pizza and stood behind piper but he didn't notice Alexander tensing which I noticed happening the first time we met the faun but I never understood why. "Say new kid, you going to eat that?" he asked piper showing her cheeseburger.

Piper frowned "Aren't the faun vegetarian".

"Not the cheeseburger, the plate!" he sniffed the air then Alexander's hair who moved his head from Don's face. "Hey, what's the smell?"

"Don, don't be rude…" I wanted to say more as I started to stand but Nico violently grabbed my arm which hurt me, I wanted to protest he just gave me a look that said _'drop it'_ as he negatively shook his head. He was strangely interested by what Don was saying and he wanted to see the end of it. Alexander kept backing away from Don as he was giving him a murderous look that Don didn't register, I was afraid that he would kill him.

Vitellus appeared scandalized and started to complain about the presence of a faun in the dining hall and urged Dakota to do his job: to kick Don out.

"I know!" those simple words bring panic to Alexander while it was extreme interest to my brother "Yes man, it's just like with Percy, you have an empathy link with a faun, no yours was removed or broke when Percy's was hidden. I can tell because you must had have for over two years, man it's really strange that the two of-" he didn't have the time to finish it because Alexander abruptly stood making his chair fall behind him and violently gripped Don's throat. He did something that I thought only possible in movies and in this new entertainment in which buff guys fights in pants; he raised him using one hand and smacked him on the table. The whole was dead silent and everybody stared at our table even the Lares and the _aurae_ turned visible as they all stared at us, I mean Alex and Don. Alex leaned so that he could look in the face a very scared Don who was whining already and I know that in his position I would've pee on myself, his eyes were iced cold and piercing while his whole body was releasing an aura of power stronger than Jason's and it was screaming pure fury, the air in the whole place was dense, suddenly full of water so much that I began felling myself as if I was drowning but there was nothing I could do because I was in deep sea and the pressure was killing while a great white swam around me. I was sure everybody around our table was feeling the same way as I was because no one moved and maybe even on the tables closest to our or in the whole hall because I don't know.

"Listen well because I won't repeat myself, I'm no fan of your species faun nor am I your friend. Don't you ever compare me to that shit or you shall feel my wrath and then we shall see if what Cyclops says about faun's meet tasting better than goat's meat. And if you ever come near me…" he let the threat suspending Don wet himself at the end choking with tears coming out of his eyes, there was a flash of regrets in his eyes but as fast it came as fast it disappeared. He took a knife on the table and I thought he would kill him, Don too thought because he started to struggle but he just brought it before his eyes. Arya stood up I didn't know how but it seemed like she was less affected by the aura or not at all, she put one hand on the arm holding Don's throat.

"He understood there is no need to go that far. Come on let him go" he looked at her and then released the poor faun who was breathing hard, eyes puff red with tears, he didn't need to be told to leave cause he left without a look behind, holding his aching throat with head bowed in shame but there was no shame to wet yourself before Alexander in the position he was and I was sure that some of the campers wetted themselves. Once he released Don we all started to breathe again, no one utter a word even our lousy Lares kept themselves silent, I was angry against Alexander for scaring and humiliating Don like that it reminded me of the children of my time but was more scared than anything and I started to think that maybe he was some god undercover in camp to see how we would react before the upcoming threat of Gaea's army of monsters. I could tell that I wasn't the only one doubting him being a half-blood but which god could he be? Jupiter? No too much easy and he wouldn't have look so young and hot while Juno was nearby, Neptune, he had the looks of a swimmer and a surfer plus the light smell of the sea breeze all around him but if it was the cause he wouldn't have laugh so much about his temple and then he could've used water to dispose of the gorgons…Water! He did use it but not like would Percy do, he must be Apollo because mars would've been harder and buffer I was so lost in my mind that when we walked past me I only noticed people backing off scared to get near him. The only who had the courage to go after him was piper which surprised me seeing how much she was scared by him.

"At least today she didn't make the same mistake like last time…" Arya said to herself but except loud enough so that the all of us heard and Nico absently nodded at that, why in the seven's did they know each other's I still couldn't get it. For many of us, dinner almost lost its taste or already lost it so most of us weren't able to finish eating up. I was worried about piper's safety although I barely knew her, I liked her and didn't want to lose someone I stood for which would be a bigger embarrassment so I decided to go after her.

"You shouldn't, don't worry Pe- Alex would never hurt her" Arya stopped me, I looked at her as if she forgot how he scared the hell out of us, she frowned "though not physically" I remembered about the name she almost called him by 'Per' something.

"Why does he hate fauns ell if it's not Don only" I wanted to understand his reaction because in thought that he wasn't a mean guy and Nico more or less trusted him _"Alexander, we had met some weeks ago, he's a cool guy and a true friend. You can confide in him without fear…"_ the memory opened itself in her mind when she thought about her brother, the words seemed to line themselves_ "…but know this, don't ever let him fight Jerric or he's going to kill him in the most gore and painful way that can be imagined and no matter what don't make him angry"_ that's especially what Don did and he had made him angry I glanced at my brother and his eyes only sent one message '_I warned you_' no you didn't I wanted to tell him because the fear he woke inside her was terrible. I looked at Arya waiting from an answer; she glanced at Nico then said:

"His best friend the one obsessed by blue foods and drink" she paused dramatically to look at Nico's panicked face then at Dakota and Vitellus who still were there than at someone behind me but I didn't care, she kept on "his name was Perseus Jackson…" the person behind me gasped at the name, I turned around to find Reyna alone.

"Where is that fucking bastard now" she angrily spat while in the corner of my eye I saw Nico tensing at her words. Arya looked at her in the eyes with a light smile which was replaced by sadness.

"Dead since September or October I don't really remember" she simply said as if she was talking about the weather, she paused a moment and went on "When you were storming the Titans' base, there was some loners demigods that reassemble themselves at New York, as they couldn't join the legion because of suspicion that would comes out and also because of the time it would've taken, they went to slow the Titans' army advances. To do so, some of them joined the enemy to know their plans and my brother had infiltrated them for a long time, only Percy knew of his identity. To allow them to communicate without being found out he made asked a faun to make an empathy link with him, Percy's best friend was a faun who had an empathy link with him; and under the tutelage of Hestia they set up traps in the whole ways to access to the city: bridges, tunnels, streets, bushes and forests and then they activated most of the automatons in the city"

"They had automatons in the city? How can we not see them?" Reyna interrupted her but Arya only smiled at her, she smiled like a grown up woman who was teaching a kid about something he always sees but never understands

"You'd be surprise, most of the statues, portraits and monuments are automatons made by a demigod since the beginning of the city to used them to protect Olympus or attack it and don't ask me why or who he's but jus know that he's dead as he should've a long time ago" we all frowned because she refused to bring some details but Nico looked relived

"So? What about Alex?" I asked her

"They managed to slow the enemy's army but soon, the titans understood that there were traitors among them so they stared to dig Alex is the only one who managed to run away before he could be found out, the faun who had and empathy link with him sold him and some other spies thankfully for him he managed to force him to break the link before he ran and joined his friends on Olympus to defend it. But thankfully for them the gods managed to kick Typhoon's butt in a blink of an eye and then when kick the titans' asses, they have a lot of stamina those gods." She said the last sentence full of sarcasm implying something else happened that day.

"And to answer to your question hazel, after the battle the demigods were thanked. Later as they were looking for ex-rebels to make them see that it was over and they were forgiven. Percy went back to leave with his parents at New York, he and some of his friends remained together, they found a demigod who later was found to be his younger half brother, that boy turned his friends against him and took his girlfriend and his best friend who broke their empathy link to set a new one with the new son of Neptune. Percy's parents died in a fire when they were expecting a little girl to join the family; and few days after their burial he died in a car accident" all the time she told us her story, she kept on watching the door as if someone she didn't want to know the story might come through it.

"Now you know why he hates goats and fauns, and I swear on the Styx that I shall say no more" she condemned herself so that she wouldn't answer to any question, even if he took his friends death hard it didn't justify the way he treated Don though I wondered if it was my friend who suffered like that, in the end would I be different than him or like he is. No one said a word; Reyna went back to the officials table along with Nico, Dakota and Vitellus while frank and I stood up to go to look for piper as the games would soon begin.


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34**

**FRANK**

Frank and hazel went to look for the two missing new recruits before the game would starts, Arya refused to go fetch for her brother because he was the one who choose to leave so he would find his way back to the cohort. During the whole way frank would still quick glances at the girl near him, she looked so beautiful, and she always made him feel special They found the couple near the Little Tiber with Alexander inside it and the water reached him on his knees and piper giving them her back few meters away from him. She turned around when she heard the sound of their footsteps and gave them a light apologizing smile.

"He's been there for as long since I left the dinner hall. At first I thought that we wanted to leave but I don't know if I talking to him served to keep him here. I don't want to part this way…" she trailed, Alexander didn't yet make a move, his back still to us he looked so calm but frank knew that he was as dangerous as some heroes of old if he really was one because he too thought that he was a god in disguise just like hazel and half of the legion.

"We came to take you back to prepare yourself because the games shall begin in few minutes" hazel said loud enough for Alexander to hear but the guy didn't even budge, hazel dragged piper with her because she was reluctant to leave but she didn't stop looking behind her back till she registered that he wouldn't be coming after them. Frank remained where he was still watching the guy's back he decided that he was only a dumb-ass for leaving a girl like piper.

"If you want to run away just do it, just remember that Romans don't like traitors or cowards. Octavian will make sure that piper pays for what you said and probably the whole cohorts" but he still stood with his back to frank that chose to leave the idiot alone.

Frank went back to the armory find hazel helping piper with her breastplate while she was already all set and ready. Hazel saw him first, their eyes met and she knew that Alexander wouldn't be coming; piper turned around at the sound of his step but was only disappointed when she saw who it was.

"He won't be coming right? Maybe it's better like that" she said trying to be strong but frank could see that she trying hard to hide the disappointment from her voice but her eyes didn't.

"Don't worry piper you'll be fine with us he's only a stupid boy" the moment the sentence escaped his mouth he regretted it because piper's nostrils flared, she glared at him with greeted teeth and clenched fists while hazel gave him a disapproving look. For his own safety he decided to go away from the girls and went to put on his armor. Once he finished he went straight for the fields of Mars where the war games were played, he saw the girls already there with the rest of the legion. Involuntary he recalled what happened the whole day from the beginning of his watch to what happened in the dinner hall. When he got closer to the girls he could hear hazel explaining to an astonished piper how the fortress before them was only built today and then explaining the goal and the rules of the games marching to the center of the fields. The two other cohorts stood as far away from theirs, someone shouted at piper "yo McLean, did your bodyguard already left you?" it almost made her cried but she held her head high as hazel told her not to mind them. Some people from the First cohort stood on their walls laughing at us and Reyna was on her pegasus circling above them. Far from them on a observation tower stood Nico and Arya both with binoculars the horn blew and Gwen their over centurion explained their tactics seeing as would be in first line.

"…Frank, hazel, piper and…" she trailed seeing there were only three of us remaining "and Alex" a voice behind us said. We turned around to find Alexander watching us as he got closer. At first piper gasped when she saw him, then ran to engulf him in a tight hug that he returned muttering some words in her ear, later only did she remember that the whole cohorts were watching them did she break the hug blushing deep red and made her wear a stupid grin and hazel smiles at her. Alexander got closer and stood before Gwen lightly bowing his head.

"I'm sorry for the delay and disturbance that I've caused" he winked at piper "I was trying to settle some things but now you can count on me if you still need of me" everybody could see that Gwen was startle by his behavior, she glanced behind him at hazel and piper who gave her pleading eyes. She looked at the other members of her cohort; they all wanted to see what the guy was worth, she struggled as she looked at Dakota for help but decided to take her chance.

"I want you to be with the three (indicating hazel, piper and frank) and do whatever" she looked at hazel who from frank's pov was the one with cool head "show them the ropes and try to stay alive" Alex just nodded at her words just like did hazel and frank himself, she turned back to the whole cohort "if anybody gets over the wall first, I'll make sure you get Mural Crown. Victory for the Fifth" she then left with others. Piper asked hazel what the Mural Crown was and hazel explained to her everything she knew about it and how nobody in the Fifth ever won one.

"Then I'll make sure that this time the victory is ours" she said seriously startling hazel and frank but Alexander only smile at her. When frank mentioned how they will be swept by canon waters whenever they will try to get near the realm it was once again piper who found the solution.

"Don't worry, Alex is a son of a minor sea god or river god so I think that he can handle it better than any of us" but frank didn't look convince especially how Alexander winced when piper said his parentage, even if the guy made some amazing thing to save him, he thought that piper had too much fate in his abilities but kept his mouth shut.

"But there is another problem: Percy. He is the son of Neptune, so he must have a better control on water and I saw him once to catch someone who jumped over the wall" hazel interfered and piper only bit her lower lip.

"Don't worry, I can handle him" the concerned said "but we have to get closer to them without being seen which is another matter" he added looking at all their faces.

"Hazel will take care of it" frank found his mouth saying as he glanced at her but she gave him a look of betrayal, seeing as the others didn't understand what was going on she explained to them about the old and forgotten tunnels and galleries running under the whole Fields of Mars, and frank told them his idea of using the explosive arrows. Once their plan was all set they went for the first tunnel hazel found.

Once inside the tunnel they were all waking in line with hazel in the front, then piper, then Alex and the last one closing the line was frank. Alex had took out the pin that stood on the back of his head like feather on Amerindians' heads except that it was shorter and bent to one side. The pin turned itself into a sword that he called _Antarsia_ that he translated as 'Rebellion' which frank was sure wouldn't please Vitellus if he learned about it. His sword just like piper's knife glowed giving them light, while piper's knife was made from the same golden like metal as Percy's sword, Alexander's was golden white transparent metal that was like glass; he had never hear of any metal of that color, Reyna recognized the metal of Percy's sword as celestial bronze but even her wasn't able to tell what kind of metal was this sword made and the blood red words on it just made him shiver and he was sure that it was the same for hazel.

"There is one thing I wanted to know, why is Percy roaming free in the camp while he was put in jail since he came here" Alexander said his first words since they were inside the tunnel, they all stopped walking as hazel halted, she turned around and looked at him suspiciously just like frank did but with his hand on his pillum.

"How do you know that if you weren't in camp Alex? You don't mind if I call you Alex, right?" hazel asked him still with her suspicious eyes. Alex just nodded at her still looking peaceful.

"You may not believe me but I have some connections on New Rome, that's why I know about" he calmly assured her and there was no way to doubt him as his voice betrayed no lie.

"He was in jail for five months until Octavian got a revelation saying that he would be of use to the legion, he kept saying that the auguries were on his favor and he didn't stop till one day we were under attack and the monster managed to sneak in camp but was found by a Percy who had ran away from his detention. He killed the beast and then Reyna didn't have any other choice than to free him and Octavian took him in his cohort showing how he could recognize a good hero and how Reyna refused to follow the auguries. To make it short he became one of his fervent supports in his quest of praetor ship." She ended her story and Alex nodded his thanks. They could now hear voices and explosion above them, so they decided to come out.

When they were out of the tunnel they saw the Fifth cohort alone being beaten up by the defenders who yelled at them insults while the Fifth's allies stood away from the beating. The sight infuriated them all and frank took one of his arrows and shot it on the water canals, it exploded sending waters and defenders into the sky. They all came out of their hole, climbed the wall with frank ahead because Alexander refused to climb first and then began attacking the defenders, some of the defenders ran at their sight or tried in vain to fight them, piper was good and sometimes she would make people fight each other's or just act stupid which neither frank or hazel understood. But the one who was terrifying was Alexander, even thought piper's still and his was unseen to Romans except to Percy, his swordsmanship was something that didn't belong in any culture because it was a mixture of everything he didn't thrust like Romans do, but he slashed not only up to down but also down to up and left/right to right/left. He was a blur and a tornado in the same time, wherever he went people went down or went up flying "is it all the so called best cohorts have to give me?" he taunted his opponents which drives them nuts, he was so stunning that for a minute hazel and frank stood motionless just to watch him fight whereas piper kept on fighting without glancing at him _'probably because she's used to see him fight'_ frank thought, he turned around to find that the group of the Fifth cohort just like him stopped to look at Alexander sending people flying or sleeping.

"Don't stand" frank yelled at them "attack" so they did with a loud cheer, there was reinforcement coming down on them and frank was sure that they would hold them all till the rest would come to crush them and he didn't know what to do about it but hazel and piper shared a look that worried him while Alex just nodded at the girls with a knowing smile, the two girls pushed him a hard as they could, Alex took one of his hand and sent him to the coming defenders. Frank, big and clumsy, clad in his armor felt like he was in a bowling game with him playing the ball and the defenders the bottles and it would have been a perfect strike if it really was a real game. He then saw Percy on a tower sending water at them _'at least it isn't fire'_ he thought to himself as he glanced at Alex along with piper and hazel. Some of the water sent swept the coming attackers and a column was coming down on the little company, Alex stood before them, positioned himself like a base ball player and just before the water could touch him, he hit it cutting it in half. On half went into the sky knocking the eagles and the campers they took, the other half as on the ground wetting everybody's feet but there was some of the water on the middle that was sent back to the defenders upcoming reinforcements which earned Percy a glare from Octavian as the whole Fifth cheered on Alex.

"Don't mind the water I'll take care of it" he said before running ahead of them, Percy kept on sending water after only seeing how he was the biggest threat but Alex would just side step, bend down, lean back a do a summersault to avoid it even if it came from behind his back. It was almost as if he could read the path of the water which was impossible to frank's mind but the guy did. When water came ahead of him, he would strike it with his sword deflecting it in the direction of his enemies who were soon coughing on the floor or flying. Water came to him from the front, Percy and his friends expected him he would just deflect it on one side as they grouped themselves in the middle but he just slip down on his knees leaning back and ended up him front of them, they were so stunned that he used that memento to slash at them with the flat of his sword. Percy once again sent water at him nearly drowning his companions but Alex deflected it back at him then didn't something frank didn't expect; he took one shield that was on the ground, tossed it on the water and jumped in it, he rode the water like a surfer would a wave. Frank nearly screamed at him to watch out for the tower that were along with Percy and now came to meet him, but it was piper who did it for him. Before even reaching the end of the column, Alex tossed the shield at them which knocked most of them, took 3 quick steps _on the water?_ Then jumped of Percy sword raised, they slammed into each other just like their sword did and went on the dirt. Down no one could see what was happening only Octavian's voice barking orders and encouragement at Percy. The two boys now stood exchanging blows, frank could see the astonished look on Alex's face finding out how good Percy was with a sword, but Alex did a move so fast that nobody could tell how he did it, the only thing frank saw as that he used the flat of his sword in the beginning but Percy lost his sword and Alex elbowed him in the torso knocking the life out of him, then gave him his knee when the guy bent down which sent him to Somnus' world. Alex jumped down near Octavian who tried to maim him but he just sidestepped and butt headed him saying "shut up". He took a look on his friend and they all nodded he got down and together with hazel on Hannibal, they busted into room where three soldiers were watching over the banners by playing poker, this time hazel, piper and frank sent them join Octavian and Percy. They took the colors and jumped on the elephant and left down as Reyna circled over them "The game is won, assemble for the honors" she said before leaving shaking her head as she couldn't believe what happened.

The Fifth was cheering at them and frank was clapped on the back, it all went well they saw Gwen with a spear of the First cohort running threw her body; she was pale white as people stated to call for medics but they only confirmed what he fear: she was dead. His eyes suddenly fell on Octavian while Reyna talked, but he was that Alex was intensively looking at only at Octavian but also at Percy. But before he could go to strangle one of them, people gasped and he saw Gwen opening her mouth. She talked about a river, and a beggar but frank couldn't tell as he was blankly staring at her, finally he took the spear out of her with hazel's help who explained the situation at a stunned Gwen while Reyna asked Nico who suddenly popped out of nowhere with Arya if it was Pluto's work.

"Pluto never lets people returned from the dead" was his only answer glancing at his sister.

"_Death loses its hold. This is only the beginning"_ a voice rolled across the Field. Everybody went for his weapon looking around for the enemy.

"I know that voice" he heard Alex saying, before he could even ask who it belonged to a column of fire blasted the air in the middle of the legion, all campers that were soaked steam-dried and everybody fall back as a ten feet tall giant came out of the fire in Canadian forces clothes and infrared goggles on his face and he was all set for a war just like Chuck Norris in his Delta Force movies with a over sized M16 riffle in his hands. Frank advanced to him like a puppet a kneeled before him and the whole camp followed his lead except for piper, Arya and Alex who looked more like he wanted to attack the soldier.

"Ares, what do you want?" Alex asked him with his sword already in his hand. Everyone gasped and frank was sure that he was dead meat as the god turned from frank to look at him

"Did my mother sent you?" piper asked startling everyone even the god, who this time looked at them as if seeing them for the first time. He grinned at them as if they were old buddies.

"Oh look what do we have here?" he nodded at himself "I thought that you was dead but it seems like the rumors were true and that Juno didn't lie, but I thought that wouldn't find you here…hum interesting" he then glanced at piper "your mother…yes she said brace yourself thought I don't _really _know for what as nobody knows what goes on in her skull" he turned once again to look at Alex right in the eyes.

"You've got spunk to talk to me like but also to remain here after what did last time, demigod," he said. "Ares is my Greek form. But to these followers, to the children of Rome, I am Mars—patron of the empire, divine father of Romulus and Remus." But it looked like Alex wasn't over yet with him.

"And the biggest bully on Olympus, just like you're two sons though they're weak. I hope you did really appreciate my offer" he added and flashed a smile at the god. Who frowned at the mention of his sons "Phobos and Deimos" frank heard Piper whispers?

"Well maybe I shall let Jupiter knows where you are, he really will be pleased but unfortunately my mother don't want you dead now" he said with a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"Oh praised the gods, she's so sweet" Alex said sarcastically with a feminine voice which didn't pleased the god as the smile disappeared from his face.

"Now kneel the two of you before you try my patience" he said as the ground at his feet boiled with fire coming out of it. Piper hastily knelt without a second thought but Alex remained up and looked the god dead in the eyes…no dead in the goggles.

"I think I shall try your patience, yes I will try it" he said with a hand on his chin as if deep in thoughts "what do you thin-" he didn't have the time to finish his answer because the god was already striking him with a sword that came out of nowhere but it looked like Alex was already expecting it as he raised his sword to meet the god's. But the thing that surprised all the campers wasn't only that he managed to block the stroke but that his sword now was gigantic almost as big as himself. They exchanged few blows and then the god observed his sword.

"That's a pretty darn good sword, why it is big now and what kind of metal is it made of?" he asked trying to smash Alex down with his foot but he managed to evade him.

"It's big to put bigger wounds on big bullies like you, and heck even I don't know what kind of metal is it made of it was a gift that fitted my need so I didn't ask question" Alex replied before cutting from down the boots of the good.

"But I must say that you're better than expected, it's been centuries since I have had an opponent like you" he grinning at the boy clearly enjoying their little fight.

"Tsk tsk tsk, aren't you forgetting the boy on the beach in California five years ago?" frank saw that the god faltered for a moment hearing about the boy in California and he sure wanted to know what happened there to make the god falters as Alex smirked at him.

"I must say you're as good as him to get on people's nerves" the god mutters as he lunches another attack at Alex.

"No that's where you're wrong, I'm better than that guy in everything. So don't forget that what happened there could happen here but in a worse manner" Alex seriously says _'what the heck are they talking about?_ Was the question on everybody's mind as they watched the two fighters, the only one that didn't have the look were on their faces were Nico and Arya who looked worried for their friend though not as worried as piper who winced each time the god attacked and moved along Alex each time he dodged a blow or a foot.

"Ok now kneel before something bad happens to one of your girly friend with her own sword and you must know that I never joke" hazel, frank and piper sent him pleading eyes asking him but he refused to obey.

"I won't and if you want we can go seriously on each other but I can guaranty you it will take time, don't even think of sending one of your legionnaire against me because this time I'll fight them as I fought those things at the wolf house. I'm sure you don't want to lose soldiers in a meaningless bloodshed knowing what is coming for them" Alex said as this time there was no longer fun in his eyes, he looked dead serious and as releasing a cold deadly aura around him, frank felt heat when Mars appeared but now he shuddered in his bones feeling cold. Mars watched him carefully before the sky grumbled in East.

"Yeah I know, it was just a joke, a way to test him but I'm now over" he said looking at the sky then glanced at Alex who already had his stance ready to attack or defend himself "you're lucky that Juno has plans for you, but I'll crush you another time when all of this is over."

"And I'll be waiting for you though you're just as lucky" he seriously said to the god with a dangerous glint in his eyes '_shut up_ _before he changes his mind' _frank wanted to tell him. He finally didn't kneel and Mars left him like that.

Mars went back in the middle of the legion, scanned the crowd. "Romans, lend me your ears!" He laughed—a good, hearty bellow, so infectious it almost made Frank smile, though he was still shivering with fear.

"I've always wanted to say that. I come from Olympus with a message. Jupiter doesn't like us communicating directly with mortals, especially nowadays, but he has allowed this exception, as you Romans have always been my special people. I'm only permitted to speak for a few minutes, so listen up."

He pointed at Gwen. "This one should be dead, yet she's not. The monsters you fight no longer return to Tartarus when they are slain. Some mortals who died long ago are now walking the earth again." Piper shuddered from where she was.

Was it Frank's imagination, or did the god glare at Nico di Angelo?

"Thanatos has been chained," Mars announced. "The Doors of Death have been forced open, and no one is policing them—at least, not _impartially_. Gaea allows our enemies to pour forth into the world of mortals. Her sons the giants are mustering armies against you—armies that you will not be able to kill. Unless Death is unleashed to return to his duties, you will be overrun. You must find Thanatos and free him from the giants. Only _he _can reverse the tide."

Mars looked around, and noticed that everyone was still silently kneeling except for Alex but he didn't care. "Oh, you can get up now. Any questions?"

Reyna rose uneasily. She approached the god, followed by Octavian, who was bowing and scraping like a champion groveler.

"Lord Mars," Reyna said, "we are honored."

"_Beyond _honored," said Octavian. "So far beyond honored—" _sucker_ frank thought.

"Well?" Mars snapped.

"Well," Reyna said, "Thanatos is the god of death, the lieutenant of Pluto?"

"Right," the god said.

"And you're saying that he's been captured by giants."

"Right"

"And therefore people will stop dying?"

"Not all at once," Mars said. "But the barriers between life and death will continue to weaken. Those who know how to take advantage of this will exploit it. Monsters are already harder to dispatch. Soon they will be completely impossible to kill. Some demigods will also be able to find their way back from the Underworld—like your friend Centurion Shishkebab."

Gwen winced. "Centurion Shish kebab?"

"If left unchecked," Mars continued, "even mortals will eventually find it impossible to die. Can you imagine a world in which no one dies—_ever_?"

Octavian raised his hand. "But, ah, mighty all-powerful Lord Mars, if we can't die, isn't that a good thing? If we can stay alive indefinitely—"

"Don't be foolish, boy!" Mars bellowed making frank and Alex chuckling. "Endless slaughter with no conclusion? Carnage without any point? Enemies that rise again and again and can never be killed? Is that what you want?"

"You're the god of war," Alex spoke up. "Don't you want endless carnage?"

Mars's infrared goggles glowed brighter. "Insolent, aren't you? Perhaps I _will _fight you now. I can understand why _they_'d want to kill you, you remind me of someone I wanted to kill. I'm the god of Rome, child. I am the god of military might used for a righteous cause. I protect the legions. I am happy to crush my enemies underfoot, but I don't fight without reason. I don't want war without end. You will discover this. You will serve me."

"Not likely, and you love to fight for cheap reasons" Alex said.

Again, Frank waited for the god to strike him down, but Mars just grinned like they were two old buddies talking trash.

"I order a quest!" the god announced. "You will go north and find Thanatos in the land beyond the gods. You will free him and thwart the plans of the giants. Beware Gaea!

Beware her son, the eldest giant!"

Next to Frank, Hazel made a squeaking sound. "The land beyond the gods?"

Mars stared down at her, his grip tightening on his M16. "That's right, Hazel Levesque. You know what I mean. Everyone here remembers the land where the legion lost its honor! Perhaps if the quest succeeds, and you return by the Feast of Fortuna…perhaps then your honor will be restored. If you don't succeed, there won't be any camp left to return to. Rome will be overrun, its legacy lost forever. So my advice is: Don't fail."

Octavian somehow managed to bow even lower. "Um, Lord Mars, just one tiny thing. A quest requires a prophecy, a mystical poem to guide us! We used to get them from the Sibylline books, but now it's up to the augur to glean the will of gods. So if I could just run and get about seventy stuffed animals and possibly a knife—"

"You're the augur?" the god interrupted.

"Y-yes, my lord."

Mars pulled a scroll from his utility belt. "Anyone got a pen?"The legionnaires stared at him. Mars sighed. "Two hundred Romans, and _no one's _got a pen? Never mind!" He slung his M16 onto his back and pulled out a hand 9grenade. There were many screaming Romans. Then the grenade morphed into a ballpoint pen, and Mars began to write.

Frank looked at Percy with wide eyes. He mouthed: _Can your sword do grenade form?_

Percy mouthed back, _No. Shut up._

"There!" Mars finished writing and threw the scroll at Octavian. "A prophecy. You can add it to your books, engrave it on your floor, whatever."

Octavian read the scroll. "This says, 'Go to Alaska. Find Thanatos and free him. Come back by sundown on June twenty-fourth or die.'"

"Yes," Mars said. "Is that not clear?"

"Well, my lord…usually prophecies are _unclear. _They're wrapped in riddles. They rhyme, and…"

Mars casually popped another grenade off his belt."Yes?"

"The prophecy is clear!" Octavian announced. "A quest!"

"Good answer." Mars tapped the grenade to his chin.

"Now, what else? There was something else.…Oh, yes."

He turned to Frank. "C'mere, kid."

No, Frank thought. The burned stick in his coat pocket felt heavier. His legs turned wobbly. A sense of dread settled over him, worse than the day the military officer had come to the door. He knew what was coming, but he couldn't stop it. He stepped forward against his will.

Mars grinned. "Nice job taking the wall, kid. Who's the ref for this game?"

Reyna raised her hand.

"You see that play, ref?" Mars demanded. "That was _my _kid. First over the wall, won the game for his team. Unless you're blind, that was an MVP play. You're not blind, are you?"

Reyna looked like she was trying to swallow a mouse.

"No, Lord Mars."

"Then make sure he gets the Mural Crown," Mars demanded. "My kid, here!" he yelled at the legion, in case anyone hadn't heard. Frank wanted to melt into the dirt.

"Emily Zhang's son," Mars continued. "She was a good soldier. Good woman. This kid Frank proved his stuff tonight. Happy late birthday, kid. Time you stepped up to a _real _man's weapon."

He tossed Frank his M16. For a split second Frank though he'd be crushed under the weight of the massive assault rifle, but the gun changed in midair, becoming smaller and thinner. When Frank caught it, the weapon was a spear. It had a shaft of Imperial gold and a strange point like a white bone, flickering with ghostly light.

"The tip is a dragon's tooth," Mars said. "You haven't learned to use your mom's talents yet, have you? Well—that spear will give you some breathing room until you do. You get three charges out of it, so use it wisely."

Frank didn't understand, but Mars acted like the matter was closed. "Now, my kid Frank Zhang is gonna lead the quest to free Thanatos, unless there are any objections?"

Of course, no one said a word. But many of the campers glared at Frank with envy, jealousy, anger, bitterness only hazel, piper, Nico and Alex didn't thought hazel looked worried and Alex pitied him.

"You can take exceptionally three companions, plus one volunteer who's Neptune Jr." Mars said as Percy turned white. "Those are the rules. One of them needs to be this kid." He pointed at piper.

"But mighty Mars, shouldn't the only member of the First cohort lead?" Octavian asked as Percy nodded at this and added "Seeing the history of the Fifth with important quests."

"What's your name kid?"

"Percy Jackson my lord" he good's goggles ignited with fire, he gave him a broad smile.

"Kid, I'll give you an advice. You'd better remember your real name because once out of Rome, with that name of your you won't stand long because that guy had personal business with Titans just like with half of Olympus." Percy paled and everybody looked at him with pity "and I'm not even talking about the titans and god he befriended that learned about his death and will surely come to see him, what do you think will happened when they will found out that the so called Percy Jackson is none else than the boy who killed him his own brother."

He then laugh as if it was a good joke he just made, there was a collective gasp from the campers as they looked at a stunned _Percy; _frank now understood why did Alex hated the guy, he saw tears in piper's eyes and a cold stare Nico was giving at the scared looking guy.

"So kid shall I spread rumors that Percy Jackson is back from the dead and on his way to the land beyond the gods?" he laughed once again, he looked at frank once he stopped laughing "and you will also take this one, especially if you want to succeed and come back alive" everybody turned around to see who it was.

He pointed at Percy. "He's gonna learn some respect for Mars on this trip, or die trying. As for the last, I don't care. Pick whomever you want. Have one of your senate debates.

You all are good at those."

The god's image flickered. Lightning crackled across the sky.

"That's my cue," Mars said. "Until next time, Romans. Do not disappoint me!"

The god erupted in flames, and then he was gone.

Reyna turned toward Frank. Her expression was part amazement, part nausea, like she'd finally managed to swallow that mouse. She raised her arm in a Roman salute.

"_Ave, _Frank Zhang, son of Mars."

The whole legion followed her lead, but Frank didn't want their attention anymore. His perfect night had been ruined. Mars was his father. The god of war was sending him to

Alaska. Frank had been handed more than a spear for his birthday. He'd been handed a death sentence.


	35. Chapter 35

**HI EVERYBODY, IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OR WEEKS…NO MONTHS I THINK SINCE MY LAST POST. I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT GIVING YOU ANY NEWS OR ANSWERING TO YOUR PM AND POSTS. **

**I PERSONNALY WANTED TO APOLOGIZE TO PEOPLE WHO PERSONNALY CONTACTED ME LIKE "Shadespace", "Yomamma3" and "Bladecraft". GUYS I'M DEEPLY SORRY FOR TELLING THAT "I'LL POST SOON" BUT NEVER DID. I REALLY PLANNED TO POST BUT I NEVER COULD BEACAUSE SOMETIMES I WOULD SLEEP ON MY COMPUTER AND ARAISED MY WRITTINGS OR JUST SHUT IT DOWN WITHOUT SAVING THE FILES. SO IF YOU KINDA FELT DECEIVED, PLEASE DON'T BE AND I THINK THAT YOU HAVE WAITED ENOUGH. **

**THESE LAST MONTHS HAD BEEN HARD ON ME WITH A LOT OF SCHOOL STUFFS WHICH DIDN'T REALLY GIVE ME THE TIME TO WRITE ADDED TO THE FACT THAT I HAD A MAJOR BLOCK. SCHOOL HAD BEEN GOING CRAZY AND I JUST HAVE FINISHED SOME OF MY EXAMS BUT STILL ON THE HOOK SO DON'T BE TOO HARD ON AND ONCE AGAIN I HAVE TO SAY THAT ALL YOUR WORDS, REVIEWS AND FAVORITS (EVEN AFTER 2 OR 3 MONTHES WITHOUT POSTING) GAVE ME THE STRENGHT TO HOLD ON, SO THANKS TO Y'ALL AND BE SURE THAT YOU'RE THE ONES THAT ARE GIVING ME THE STREGHNT AND INSPIRATION TO WRITE. I'M BACK AND SEE YOU IN 2 WEEKS OR A MONTH AS I USED TO DO BACK THEN.**

**YOU SHALL FIND THAT SOME CHAPTERS ARE TAKEN FROM THE SoN? PLEASE DON4T BE HARD BECAUSE I HAD A HECK OF DIFFICULTIES TO FIND MY INSPIRATION. ALL CHARACTERS BELLONG TO R.R. AND SEE YA. **

**PS:**_**FOR NOT POSTING EARLIER BUT I HAD SOME OTHER THINGS TO DO AND WELL I JUST FORGOT ABOUT THE FIC. I'M STILL LOOKING FOR A BETA READER FOR ALL MY STORIES (2) SO FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME.**_

**Chapter 35**

NO LUCK FOR YOU IT'S A LATE APRIL'S FOOL….OR NOT

Once the meeting over, Percy quickly disappeared from the Fields of Mars while his new found friends had been looking for him whenever someone had tried to talk to him while sneaking out of the Fields, he would just glare at them and since they saw him fight nobody now doubted his abilities. He found himself on top of a statue of Mars, just on his shoulders like a kid would be on his father he was looking a way and thinking about a way to escape from doing on the quest but Ares said that their success and survival depended only on his presence _stupid Mars _he thought to himself still looking for an issue that didn't include him going with. He had already planned on leaving for the north before he knew that some giant was there, he could still go for the Labrador or Groenland or settle himself on one of the Queen Elizabeth Islands but Piper would never forgive him if he did so.

Piper, the name brought many things in his mind and most of the things he feared and didn't want to see. But from the very beginning he had told her that he didn't want to stay here, that he would just drop her here and then leave. He would've given everything just to think those damn gorgons that forced him to get into the camp so that he would kill them slowly and painfully. He decided to leave just now, he knew that Aer would find him as soon as they would notice his disappearance but the image of camp overwhelmed but monsters didn't leave his mind: Piper, Hazel, Frank, Reyna and Nico one of his last true friend. _Would you still leave one of his sisters died when you could save her? _He began to feel guilt, but what happened at CHB didn't leave his mind, the way he was treated and going along on a quest with one of his torturers didn't please him. But could he leave them and let me die knowing that he could've saved them, what would his mother say about it, what would she have done if it was her in his shoes? She would surely forgive them and go on but he couldn't not after what happened.

It all started like that too at CHB, he went on his first quest just to prove that he was innocent of the stealing he was accused of but also to stop a godamn war. Oh he felt welcome for sure with open arms, they were all happy about him but once they got their asses secure, the damn security that he paid with so many lives and near death experiences, they dropped him like an old socket, a useless shoe that was no longer needed.

"_How are you feeling Perseus, what is troubling you young hero"_ the voice that had been quiet for a long time was now back.

"_Don't ask question you already know the answer"_ he looked at Pluto's Temple thinking about Hazel that stood for Piper and him when she barely knew them.

"_Sometimes it's better to talk, words can ease the pain. What are afraid of?" _

"_I'm afraid to end up just like in CHB, to be welcomed than betrayed. That's what I'm afraid of_" he said with pain in his voice as he recalled CHB memories.

"_And you're more afraid that Piper would betray you just like Annabeth did now that you love her"_ Percy just nodded, for the first time there wasn't stupid talk between him and chaos, now he was feeling like talking to friend or a relative.

"_You know, keeping her way from you won't make things easier. If it worked, then your feelings would've died before reaching the wolf house and beside, even without her memory she still loves you and only thought your thick skull doesn't register it"_ he laughed in the end which also made Percy laughs. _"Take your chance, everything is going to be ok, go with them or not it all depends to you"_

"_But what should I do, I don't know anymore, tell me"_ Percy pleaded for something to show him the way.

"_Don't you remember? All I do is set the paths on before you but you're the only that chooses which path to follow. I'm just an observer who's following you to know the end of the path, that's why I set you free from the gods and fates influences, everything comes from you Percy. You're the MAN"._

"_Thank you for coping with me, I really needed a talk"_ he was so tired of all those things to think that he started to enjoy a life without quests but now everything would start again and end up worst than last time.

"_You're welcome, that's why friends are there for"_ he replied.

"_Friends huh?"_ the word had lost its meaning to him and it sounding like pity excuse on his ears, friends that stabs you in the back he thought bitterly. He didn't feel the need to meet campers, so he decided to sleep where he was.

Once his eyes closed, he started to dream of his long lost brother Tyson, just seeing he there up looking for brought him tears in his eyes. He looked at his brother in his XXL sized jean with their fateful pet at his size. Percy could tell that they were at the wolf's house and Tyson must be using Mrs. O'Leary to track his sent he smiled at his brightness.

"Brother left here a long time ago. Find another scent girl" his eyes focused on something in the dirt that the hellhound had found out. "Good you found something on him, I should call Clarisse or wait…" he debated with himself as Percy went somewhere else.

The scene shifted. Percy stood on the Field of Mars, looking up at the Berkeley Hills. Golden grass rippled, and a face appeared in the landscape—a sleeping woman, her features formed from shadows and folds in the terrain. Her eyes remained closed, but he remembered her back then when Hera or Juno as she liked to call herself now was in prison; her voice spoke in Percy's mind: _So this is the demigod who destroyed my son Kronos. You don't look like much but I should've known when you fought Kyrios, Percy Jackson, but now you're valuable to me. Oh don't be so surprised, do you think that the power of my sister's daughter would've fooled me as long as those useless gods, no young boy. Come north. Meet Alcyoneus, he has some surprises for you. Juno can play her little games with Greeks and Romans, but in the end, you will be my pawn. You will be the key to the gods' defeat. _Percy's vision turned dark. He stood in a theater-sized version of the camp's headquarters—a _principia _with walls of ice and freezing mist hanging in the air. The floor was littered with skeletons in Roman armor and Imperial gold weapons encrusted with frost. In the back of the room sat an enormous shadowy figure. His skin glinted of gold and silver, as if he were an automaton like Reyna's dogs. Behind him stood a collection of ruined emblems, tattered banners, and a large golden eagle on a staff of iron. The giant's voice boomed in the vast chamber. "This will be fun, son of Neptune. It's been eons since I broke a demigod of your caliber. I await you atop the ice."

Percy woke, shivering. For a moment he didn't know where he was. Then he remembered: Camp Jupiter, the Temples hill. He sat there on his statue, staring at the white marble in front of him and trying to control his racing heartbeat. A golden giant who knew about his real identity was waiting to break him. Wonderful. But what unnerved him more was that sleeping woman's face in the hills, Gaea. _You will be my pawn. _Percy didn't play chess, but he was pretty sure that being a pawn was bad. They died a lot and the thought that she discovered who he really was and who his companion is frustrated him but there was some things he also learn from that dream: Aer was the daughter of Gaea's sister, Gaea must have known his identity for a moment if even her scary son knew about him, and she planned to use this knowledge to destroy everything. The more he thought about all of it, the more he wanted to leave.

"_How was your sleep_?" his dear friend asked him startling the poor demigod who ended up on the ground.

"_Gods, can't you somehow knock and wait for my authorization_?" Percy angrily told him as he stood and brushed the dirt on his clothes.

"_Oh but I did, but mister was so much absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't hear me knocking_" he told him in an innocent voice.

"_Then knock harder_" Percy stood and stretched his torso and back "_what his that thing with Gaea and her giant in my sleep? I thought you banned any godly presence beside yours from my mind and dreams_" he looked at the empty blue sky as if trying to find something up there.

"_Well I can't keep them any longer from your dreams, especially Gaea or they might found out my meddling which would do you no favor."_

"_So from now on, they will burst in whenever they want; is that what you're saying?"_ he frowned not liking the thought, it was in some way better with Chaos because he could sleep freely, but the Olympians would glue on his dreams to show him things in their advantages.

"_Let's just say that it will go back the way it was_" his master/friend told him with worry in his voice, but Percy was already beyond it.

"_Be it_" he quickly wanted to change the subject "_Tell me, why is there a braid in the back of my head? As long as I remember, I never had one but suddenly I would know that my sword is on my head._" There was a moment of silence.

"_Ah it's an old thing from somewhere but I don't remember. Young boys keep a braid till the day of their marriage, on that day they cut it and offer it to their brides who shall cut some of their hairs to tie all together. You only pull them apart if one is dead, it's a token that you give yourself to the other one and that you shall be true to her and only her." _There was a dramatic pause as Percy tried to sink in everything he heard and he couldn't stop himself but touch the braid thinking of its importance but as his fingers trailed on, he mind went to a certain daughter of the love goddess _stop it _he thought to himself but as if reading his thoughts Chaos came back.

"_And I have the feeling that soon enough you will be using it, I can feel it in my bones."_

"_Gods don't have bones so stop saying nonsense_" the boy replied now exasperate of this whole talk.

"_What do you know of it? Did you check on? So don't say that I'm uttering nonsense. Someone is coming, so what will be your choice_ hero of Olympus."

"_Whatever_" he shrugged it off still not wanting to share his decision, soon enough he saw Hazel then Frank and Piper behind him, Hazel gave him a smile thought her eyes looked worried about something when Piper glared at him and Frank seemed lost. He could tell that the girls came out from the baths not long ago because there were still drops of waters in their hairs.

"Hey Alex, what are you doing here so early? I thought that you was with Arya but she told us that you would be here" Hazel said as she reached him but even before he could open his mouth an angry voice came out.

"So you really did sleep here" he looked behind Hazel that turned around to stare at a Piper. She had her arms crossed on her chest biting her bottom lip. Hazel was stunned that he could sleep her among those gloomy statues of the gods while there was places in the barracks and Frank looked at him as if he was crazy.

"Yeah I did. Just on the shoulders of my buddy Mars here" he indicated the statue behind him which earned him crazy looks from everyone "thought I must admit now my butt is sore now. So why are you all here?" it was Frank's turn now.

"Meeting for the quest, duh" he glared at the bulky Chinese baby faced who glared back at him.

"Why didn't you sleep in the barracks with us?" Hazel asked wanting to avoid any fight just before their quest.

"Oh that, I didn't want to disturbed anyone or being disturbed. I wanted a calm place to think and the only calm place that came to me is here as no Roman would venture save if he had business with the temples but it couldn't happen so early in the morning."

"So you decided to join us on the quest?" Hazel sounded hopeful while there was a gleam light in Piper's eyes.

Percy looked at Hazel dead in the eyes then looked at his surroundings "That you will have to find out once I attend to the meeting but as for now I need a good bath" Hazel's face fell just likewise did Piper's but Frank glared at him as if angered that he gave Hazel false hope.

He left them there and went to the baths, he didn't take his time as he usually does whenever in water, he made it quickly and changed into his own clothes, the one Aphrodite dropped for them at their camp before meeting Nico. He wore a blue jean that looked worn out and a sea-green shirt plus a light brown sweet over. Once out he found Arya and Hazel waiting for him when he asked where was the others they told him they didn't want to wait for him here and already was at the principia, together they headed there in silence but before reaching it Hazel once again bought him a cappuccino but this time it was with two cakes that he gladly ingurgitated after thanking her. They went for about a couple of minutes till they met Jerric, Frank and Piper waiting for them, they all joined together without a word and went to the principia with Percy as far as possible from Jerric.

The ghost Vitellius appeared next to them in a purple shimmer. "Bona fortuna, you three!" he casted a disapproving look at Jerric and frowned at Percy. " Ah, senate meetings. I remember the one when Caesar was assassinated. Why, the amount of blood on his toga—"

"Thanks, Vitellius," Frank interrupted.

"We should get going." Reyna and Octavian led the procession of senators out of camp, with Reyna's metal greyhounds dashing back and forth along the road. Hazel, Frank, and Percy trailed behind. Percy and Piper noticed Nico di Angelo in the group, wearing a black toga and talking with Gwen, who looked a little pale but surprisingly good considering she'd been dead the night before. Nico waved at Piper, then went back to his conversation, leaving Piper more sure than ever that Hazel's brother was trying to avoid her.

Dakota stumbled along in his red-speckled robe. A lot of other senators seemed to be having trouble with their togas, too—hiking up their hems, trying to keep the cloth from slipping off their shoulders. Percy was glad he was wearing a regular green T-shirt and jeans.

"How could Romans move, in those things?" he wondered.

"They were just for formal occasions," Hazel said. "Like tuxedos. I bet the ancient Romans hated togas as much as we do. By the way, you didn't bring any weapons, did you?"

Percy's hand went to his braid, where his pin sometimes appeared, then he remembered what Chaos told him about it. Thinking about it made him stare at Piper for a moment before averting his eyes but it didn't go unnoticed to Hazel and Piper herself.

"Why? Are we not supposed to?"

"No weapons allowed inside the Pomerian Line," she said.

"The what line?" Piper asked this time.

"Pomerian," Frank said. "The city limits. Inside is a sacred 'safe zone.' Legions can't march through. No weapons allowed. That's so senate meetings don't get bloody."

"Like Julius Caesar getting assassinated?" both Piper and Percy asked at the same time which made them blush and Arya laugh. Frank nodded.

"Don't worry. Nothing like that has happened in months." Percy hoped he was kidding for Piper's sake seeing how the First wanted to gut her thought he wasn't worry about himself. As they got closer to the city, Piper could appreciate how beautiful it was which also was likewise for Percy but he didn't show it. The tiled roofs and gold domes gleamed in the sun. Gardens bloomed with honeysuckle and roses. The central plaza was paved in white and gray stone, decorated with statues, fountains, and gilded columns. In the surrounding neighborhoods, cobblestone streets were lined with freshly painted town houses, shops, cafés, and parks. In the distance rose the coliseum and the horse racing arena. Percy didn't notice they'd reached the city limits until the senators in front of him started slowing down.

On the side of the road stood a white marble statue—a life-size muscular man with curly hair, no arms, and an irritated expression. Maybe he looked mad because he'd been carved only from the waist up. Below that, he was just a big block of marble.

"Single file, please!" the statue said. "Have your IDs ready." Piper and Percy looked to their left and right. They hadn't noticed before, but a line of identical statues ringed the city at intervals of about a hundred yards. The senators passed through easily. The statue checked the tattoos on their forearms and called each senator by name.

"Gwendolyn, senator, Fifth Cohort, yes. Nico di Angelo, ambassador of Pluto—very well. Reyna, praetor, of course. Hank, senator, Third Cohort—oh, nice shoes, Hank! Ah, who have we here?" Hazel, Frank, Jerric, Piper, Arya and Percy were the last ones.

"Terminus," Hazel said, "this is Piper McLean, Arya and hunt- Alexander Johnson. Guys, this is Terminus, the god of boundaries."

"New, eh?" said the god. "Yes, probatio tablet. Fine. Ah, weapon in your pocket? Take it out! Take it out!" Percy had the reflex to put his hand in his right pocket to take out Riptide but sadly remember that his faithful sword wasn't his anymore when Jerric took it out of his pocket.

"You call a pen a sword?" Frank asked him, Percy instantly recognized the pen while Piper's brow were frowned in a painful way as she struggle to remember something about a pen and a sword. Jerric gave them a smug smile before taking out the cap. The pen in less than one second turned into a celestial bronze sword: Riptide. Frank was startled but he was the only one which made Percy assume that Hazel already knew about it. "You have two swords? Why didn't you give one t those in your cohort that don't have any?"

"This sword's name is _Ana…"_ he didn't have to finish as Piper and Percy did it for him:

"…_klusmos_: Riptide, the current that takes one by surprise. And before you know it , you have been swept out to sea" everybody stare at the two while Piper's face looked stunned that she knew its meaning it was Percy's face that they all looked at but the only thing it betrayed was sadness.

"I don't use it because I found it while coming here, well a goddess gave it to me saying it need its master but I don't get why it's not well balanced in my hands and its weight his too heavy for me to swing it freely so I keep on using the sword I had with me when I reached this place. But how do you know about it." He looked suspicious of Piper and Percy, Piper looked on the verge of killing but Hazel held her back by her shoulders.

"It wasn't enough for you to kill him so you still had to steal his weapon?" Piper said with hurt and anger in her voice.

Jerric looked at her as if she was crazy "what are you talking about?" he innocently asked.

"Riptide doesn't to you, it belongs to Perseus Jackson. It's the sword he used to fight monsters, Titans and gods." She paused and thought about what she said but the lines already left her mind as she no longer remembered what she said or why she remembered it. At the mention of Percy's name Terminus' head jerked up and looked at the little company but the other were too much absorbed by Jerric claiming that he was Percy Jackson that's why the sword was given back to him while Piper said that he wasn't and even Mars knew that he wasn't Percy Jackson.

"Now stop it and give me the weapons" Terminus cut them all, Percy didn't know how Terminus could tell who possessed a weapon or not, but Jerric put the cap on the sword and gave him the pen.

"Quite dangerous," Terminus said. "Leave it in the tray. Wait, where's my assistant? Julia!" A little girl about six years old peeked out from behind the base of the statue. She had pigtails, a pink dress, and an impish grin with two missing teeth. "Julia?" Terminus glanced behind him, and Julia scurried in the other direction. "Where did that girl go?" Terminus looked the other way and caught sight of Julia before she could hide. The little girl squealed with delight. "Oh, there you are," said the statue. "Front and center. Bring the tray." Julia scrambled out and brushed off her dress. She picked up a tray and presented it to Percy. On it were several paring knives, a corkscrew, an oversized container of sun lotion, and a water bottle. "You can pick up your weapon on the way out," Terminus said. "Julia will take good care of it. She's a trained professional." The little girl nodded.

"Pro-fess-ion-al." She said each syllable carefully, like she'd been practicing. But the moment the girl raised her head and clearly saw Percy, she dropped the tray and ran to him with tears in her eyes screaming the name "HUNTER" she zigzagged Jerric, Piper and Frank that were before Percy to jump on him. Percy quickly caught her in middle air barely recognizing the little girl as he hugged her.

"Julia" he said her name as the little girl hugged his neck tighter which only made Percy laughs and Aer giggles. All those who still hadn't gotten inside the principia turned around to look at what was happening. None of them understood why Julia was hugging Percy save Aer who had a brow smile and Terminus was at loss of words.

As soon as Percy put the little girl down she went to hug Aer who hugged her back "I thought I wouldn't see you again…" Aer just laughed.

"Julia" Terminus called but the girl just looked at him then shrugged.

"I heard people saying that there was new member into the legion…you are the one who won the game right? It was you who fought Lord Mars, are you staying in the legion, you are here to help the legion found its glory right, you are here to fight the monsters with us right" she kept on asking questions without giving Percy or Aer the time to reply, some of questions weren't understood by Percy but nonetheless he couldn't stop laughing and smiling at the little girl. They never knew if after parting their way the girl and her sister were able to reach their destination safely and it bugged him a little bit. He glanced at Hazel and Frank, who didn't seem to find anything understandable about this, Piper looked annoyed to be out but kept smiling on the little girl's joy imagining what Percy did to make her so happy to save him.

"Oh calm down Julia, I can't answer to your questions if you don't give me the time to do so" Percy said in the end as he knelt before the girl and grabbed her on her shoulders which seemed to settle her down a little bit.

"Are you the new recruits of the legion, the one who won the games with the Fifth?" she finally asked though still excited.

"Yes I'm one of them but" the girl squealed at Percy's answer not letting in the time to give her a clear answer.

"Yes we're saved, the legion will be better" she screaming jumping non-stop up or down, couples of senators looked at her as if crazy while other smiled at the little girl's enthusiasm and display of joy "you will be the next praetor" that startle not only Percy but also the rest of the group.

"Julia" Terminus scowled while Percy looked uncomfortable.

"Julia, you know that Jason hasn't been found out yet" Hazel tied to reason the girl.

"Yes but we do need another praetor to lead us or we will lose before the monster army" she shuddered saying it _recalling a bad memory_ Percy thought. "And Hunter is super strong and super fast."

"How do know so much about him" Frank managed to ask.

"Well we saved them her sister and her, few weeks before meeting Piper. By the way where is she?" Aer replied to him without taking her eyes from the little girl, "by the way his name is Alexander Jackson.

Julia looked down and Percy thought that something finally went wrong while Aer understood that her sister probably joined the Amazons.

"She joined the amazons before taking me back here saying that I was to young for it it and that our parents would be heartbroken if their only two children ran away to serve something else than the legion." Her voice was hoarse and low as a whisper.

"I'm sorry for your lost. But I don't know if I will join the legion though, we will see about it after the meeting" Percy said with one hand on her shoulders, then he stood and looked at the entrance of the principia were he could see Reyna spying on then from the threshold.

"Why? If those same monsters come back who but you can fight them, they are too fast to fight and only you were able to defeat them they even admitted it." She then turned to face Aer "you tell him please he has to stay with us" she pleaded with tears in her eyes, Aer looked at Percy but he refused to meet her eyes but it was Terminus who brought her back.

"Julia" the statue god scowled "Romans do not beg for help, they fight till their last breath. Now come back here, if he doesn't want to help don't beg for his help then" he then warily looked at Percy trying to see anything else. "Now put the weapons out" those who had weapons on them gave them to Julia who lingered sad eyes on Percy who managed to get in with his.

"Now, a few rules, since you're new," Terminus said to them. "You are entering the boundaries of the city proper. Keep the peace inside the line. Yield to chariot traffic while walking on public roads. When you get to the Senate House, sit on the left-hand side. And, down there—do you see where I'm pointing?"

"Um," Percy said.

"You don't have any hands so I don't see it." Piper added, apparently this was a sore point for Terminus. His marble face turned a dark shade of gray.

"A smart aleck, eh? Well, Mr. Rule Flouter, right down there in the forum—Julia, point for me, please—" Julia dutifully set down the security tray and pointed toward the main plaza. "The shop with the blue awning," Terminus continued, "that's the general store. They sell tape measures. Buy one! I want those pants exactly one inch above the ankles and that hair regulation cut, you especially" he said to Percy.

"I'm no legionnaire so I don't see why I should cut my hairs to please you" Percy defied him as he glare at the god.

"And tuck your shirt in." Hazel said, "Thank you, Terminus. We need to get going."

"Fine, fine, you may pass," the god said testily. "But stay on the right side of the road! And that rock right there—No, Hazel, look where I'm pointing. That rock is entirely too close to that tree. Move it two inches to the left." Hazel did what she was told, and they continued down the path, Terminus still shouting orders at them while Julia did cartwheels across the grass.

When he remembered that he still had his sword with him, he went back to give it while Terminus claimed that he had no weapon on him until the pin turned into a magnificent immaculate gold-white sword with ivory handle. Terminus was upset that he couldn't tell that Percy had a weapon on him and asked him if he had any other but he shook his head, he didn't want to tell him about the spear because he didn't want to be among so much Romans weaponless still the god pressed him to no avail.

"Is he always like that?" Piper asked as they waited for Percy.

"No," Hazel admitted. "Today he was laid back. Usually he's more obsessive/compulsive."

"He inhabits every boundary stone around the city," Frank said.

"Kind of our last line of defense if the city's attacked."

"Terminus isn't so bad," Hazel added.

"Just don't make him angry, or he'll force you to measure every blade of grass in the valley."

Percy filed that information as he came back to them. "And the kid? Julia?" Hazel grinned.

"Yeah, she's a cutie. Her parents live in the city. I never knew that you guys were the ones who saved them but thanks. Their parents were really depressed when their girls ran away and listening to Julia's tale about their encounter didn't really help them much."

"Well thank Arya and him because back then I didn't know of them." Piper said sounding annoyed.

"Come on. We'd better catch up to the senators."

As they approached the forum, Percy was struck by the sheer number of people. College-age kids were hanging out at the fountain. Several of them waved at the senators as they passed, some whispered among themselves at the sight of the group pointing fingers at them. One guy in his late twenties stood at a bakery counter, flirting with a young woman who was buying coffee. An older couple was watching a little boy in diapers and a miniature Camp Jupiter shirt toddle after seagulls. Merchants were opening their shops for the day, putting out signs in Latin that advertised pottery, jewelry, and half-price tickets for the Hippodrome.

"All these people are demigods?" Percy asked.

"Or descended from demigods," Hazel said. "Like I told you, it's a good place to go to college or raise a family without worrying about monster attacks every day. Maybe two, three hundred people live here? The veterans act as, like, advisers and reserve forces as needed, but mostly they're just citizens living their lives." Percy could tell that she was trying to bribe him to join the legion, showing how good and well it was even for raising children, _If only she knew that Arya is more than a little girl _he laughed himself. Neither the less he imagined what that would be like: getting an apartment in this tiny replica of Rome, protected by the legion and Terminus the OCD border god. He imagined holding hands with Piper at a café. Maybe when they were older, watching their own kid chase seagulls across the forum… He shook the idea out of his head _What in the seven hells are you thinking about? _He couldn't afford to indulge in that kind of thinking especially as he didn't plan on staying here in arm reach of the Olympians. As for Piper, most of her memories were gone, but she knew that she had been wandering with Alex for a long time and that this place wasn't their home. She belonged somewhere else, with her other friends, but she also belong with him, wherever they were together was their home though the idiot didn't know it.

Besides, Camp Jupiter was in danger. If Juno was right, an attack was coming in less than five days. Percy imagined that sleeping woman's face—the face of Gaea—forming in the hills above camp "_So this is the demigod who destroyed my son Kronos. You don't look like much but I should've known when you fought Kyrios, Percy Jackson, but now you're valuable to me"_. That old dirt lady _knew _who he was and she had taken it in count in her plans and she also _knew _about Juno's plans. He imagined hordes of monsters descending into this valley hungry to feed on campers' flesh. _If you don't succeed_, Mars had warned, _there won't be any camp left to return to. Rome will be overrun, its legacy lost forever_. He didn't really care about Rome after all they are half-bloods just like in CHB they will eventually turn their back to him, also everything is bound to come to an end especially civilizations, how much of them disappeared Egypt, Maya, Incas…he thought about the little girl Julia, the families with kids, his new friends in the Fifth Cohort, even those silly fauns. He didn't want to picture what might happen to them if this place was destroyed. He made his decision.

The senators made their way to a big white-domed building on the west end of the forum. Percy paused at the doorway, trying not to think about Julius Caesar getting slashed and stabbed to death at a senate meeting. Then he took a deep breath and followed Hazel and Frank inside.

THE SENATE HOUSE INTERIOR looked like a high school lecture hall. A semicircle of tiered seats faced a dais with a podium and two chairs. The chairs were empty, but one had a small velvet package on the seat.

Percy, Aer, Jerric, Piper, Hazel, and Frank sat on the left side of the semicircle. The ten senators and Nico di Angelo occupied the rest of the front row. The upper rows were filled with several dozen hosts and a few older veterans from the city, all in formal togas. Octavian stood in front with a knife and a Beanie Baby lion, just in case anyone needed to consult the god of cutesy collectibles. Reyna walked to the podium and raised her hand for attention.

"Right, this is an emergency meeting," she said. "We won't stand on formalities."

Then she started to explain about Frank's promotion and about the quest. Someone or ghost complained that a quest lead and only composed with the Fifth's member was doomed to fail while someone rejoiced that Jerric would be on the quest with them.

For the need of the quest Frank was promoted centurion as "Centurion Shish kebab" stepped down to get into college but Percy had the feeling that her meeting with Charon had pressed the decision, after all who wouldn't it's not every day that you rise from the dead after meeting the ferry of Hades. It all went on with Percy only giving half his mind on the whole topic, after that it moved on the giant's identity, Alaska and things about it; and just then Percy remembered his dream then suddenly the whole pavilion went silent. He felt someone tugging at his shirt when Aer smacked her foot on his making him wince and glare at her. Everybody's eyes were locked on him, ghostly as much as living ones.

"Did you finally decide if you will be going with them on their quest like lord Mars wanted?" Reyna asked him from her high praetor seat. Her intonation didn't pleased Octavian as he roared.

"Lord Mars _wanted?_ He was ordered to go. There is no way for him to disobey the orders he's—"

"Shut the hell Octavian. First of all I'm not a member of your legion, and two I don't have a master to give me orders nor any god which means that I don't give a damn thing about any of your maximus, ultalor, cosinus, optimus prime or sinus godly being; screw Mars, screw the others and screw you." There was a shocked silence in the whole room some looked at Percy as if waiting a beam shot out of the sky to fall on him, others as if they wanted to kill him but didn't because didn't have any weapon or were just afraid of him while others concluded that he was crazy. Before anyone could talk he went on "and as for the quest I was actually thinking about going (he frowned as if in pain) but now after opening your silly mouth and _ordering_ me, I reconsider going which meant that they're probably doomed. Oh Hades! The whole camp will also be doomed along with the quest" his voice was sweet and innocent as he seated himself. People were too much shocked as proved by the hundreds gaping mouths like fishes. Percy glanced at his friend: Piper looked like she had been slapped or worse like a lamb soon to be butchered, Hazel shivering as if she already was in Alaska, Frank as if he was told to fight a bear single hand while Jerric was trying hard to disappear though there was some last fight in his eyes. Aer looked at him with a "_what in the hell are you doing?"_ in her eyes. "But if your dear augur want so much to please his lord Mars, then maybe, just maybe he should bent to the knee and asked for forgiveness and then I might reconsider not going."

Everyone turned their heads in Octavian's direction, forcing him to apologize but as the boy remained up someone told him to kneel before Percy. Just as his second knee was about to touch the ground, Percy stopped him saying he no longer needed to see him on his knees which made Octavian purple gritting his jaws tightly.

"I'll be going on this damn quest but don't except anything else from me" he said.

It was then that Octavian recovered his voice "we will see to it if you're not already dead, but first you'll have to come back to Rome to make your report or help in whatever is going on here."

"It seems like there is something you haven't understood yet, so let me be clear: I'm not one of your legionnaire so _I DECIDE _what I _want_ to do, and I receive no order from any of neither you nor any of your gods." He cast a cold gaze on every face to make sure that they registered what he said. "The only reason I'm going with them is because I have some business to do in the North. Once Thanatos is freed, we will take separate ways" he heard Piper and Hazel gasped along with Aer who clearly was surprised by his choice.

"But mars said that we _had_ to take you if we wanted to come back" Jerric complained.

"Then you would better take some assurance before leaving, because I'm not coming back here."

"But Mars couldn't be wrong—" now it was Octavian's turn to whine.

"Then he's stupid" Percy cut which earned him a collective gasp from everyone then meaningful glares from them.

"We can force you to obey" Octavian came back and some of his friends were nodding while some of the senator worriedly glanced among themselves, Percy noted that most of them were lares _probably remembering about Julius Caesar _he though "you're alone and weaponless while the number is in our advantage" he kept on. Percy uncomfortably shifted from his seat while Gwen complained that no blood was tolerated in the Principia but most of her words fell on deaf ears. Reyna, Nico and Aer were unperturbed; they kept their cool with their eyes going from Octavian to Percy. But it wasn't the case for Hazel, Frank and Piper whom were worried or scared about what was stirring in the room, Reyna's pets were glaring at him waiting for an opportunity to jump on him.

"Obey or you shall feel the wrath of Rome" Jerric told him. Then Percy raised his right hand and the room suddenly went dry and little drops of water were gathering on his raised hand but as soon as they were closed to him they began to freeze just like the air in the hall turned cold and dry in the same time. In the end he had a sword made of smoking ice. They all went motionless with gaping mouths and scared eyes.

"They say that ice not only does cut, but it also burns. Would you like to test it to see if it's all true? Or any of you" he ran his eyes on each of them "…or maybe you prefer it the old way" he summoned his sword from fin air and it had a wicked glow on it.

"Wha-ho-, no weapon is allowed in the senate." Gwen managed to say scandalized.

"Well it's not my fault if my swords magic his stronger than some of you gods spell. My sword can appear whenever and wherever I want it to, only its creator can bind it and it seems like he doesn't want to pester me." He paused like expected some remark which was odd "but as for the ice well it's an emergency measure. So do you people still think that I'm weaponless? I thought so."

"Why don't you want to come back here with us, do you really hate us that much because sometimes I can see hatred and anger in your eyes." This time it was Hazel who talked making him stiff. There was no need for him to deny it because sometimes he felt like he was in camp Half-Blood which reminded him of everything that happened in his previous life and he never ever wanted to feel how he felt back then not even for the world's gold, but he could feel all their eyes on him waiting for his answer.

"Going with you means attracting Gaea's wrath on me. I've already angered her by helping bursting Hera's butt out of her immortal cell, so going into this quest with you well let's just say that her son and she have a _wonderful _surprise which by my experience means trouble. It means that it will make us even but coming back here will break down that equilibrium, well I just don't want to add another immortal on the long list of those who want to kill me so no thanks. Once the quest is done we will part our ways in the land beyond the god no matter what the result is so don't except to see me here."

"But Mars said—"Piper started with misty eyes but he cut her.

"Mars is a foul. Among the whole council he's the first I wouldn't listen to along with his mother and father, then he's uncle. So screw what Mars said."

Nobody couldn't believe what he just and still standing there in good shape, some of them would've jumped on him but the sight of the swords in his hands stopped them all though it didn't stop the hateful glare he was receiving form all of them especially from Piper who refused to cry no matter how his eyes shined with tears but he didn't care for the moment about her worries because he knew that Gaea would use her against him if he stood against, he could still save her if he didn't fight her after Gaea might 'want' him just like her son did. After all her objective was to destroy the Olympians maybe he could make her swear on the Styx or on her motherhood that she wouldn't touch those who would step aside her way. But how would his last remaining true friends take it, would they feel betrayed or ok with it; he too wanted revenge on the council and there was no better way to avenge himself than associating with their enemy who really wasn't his…_Piper_ he couldn't stop himself from thinking about her but sometimes she acted so much like _her_ or reminded him of camp half-blood that he couldn't stand getting closer to her.

"You're just a coward, a scared cat who runs away from a fight with his tail between his legs" Octavian screamed at him.

"Well that's surprising, coming from someone who hasn't died yet but lost his strength once he no longer has the advantage of the number or any weapon though he could've worked it all out if he was willing to sacrifice his life from the others." At the end of his little speech many were trying their hardest not to puff while Octavian turned red with a big vein pulsating on his forehead. "And by the way it's a dog that runs with his tail between his legs" he gave Octavian a bright smile.

Percy turned his face to Gwen who shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, "I don't plan on seeing Charon and Thanatos soon. It can't be helped for Thanatos but I can for Charon" he said still looking at her.

"who's Charon?" she asked at the same time with Hazel while Nico glared at him. Percy turned his face to see Hazel's face and he could tell she didn't know the first name.

"Why don't you ask your brother, I think he's more acquainted with the guy then I'm." seeing that for some reason Nico was angry at him and didn't want to answer while the room's eyes were on him Percy decide to tell them. "Charon is the name of the man who asked you coin Gwen; once he was his coins he will take you at the other side of the Styx so that you can be judged. If you don't have money, you might stay on one side of the underworld for couple of years or centuries."

Hazel and Gwen shuddered at the same time while Nico's eyes looked at lot more like his father's and the room quieted.

"And how do you know about it? Did you die already _graecus"_ Octavian screamed at him.

"Well you have your answer sonny" the _sonny _thing was something he had always wanted to try but as for not it was in his mind the right thing to say to mock him. There was a gasp behind him and he turned his head to see that it was Piper.

"Y-yo-you died? How come you're here alive?" Hazel said with her body shaking as if recalling some scary memory.

"Gaea" the name came out of Nico's mouth he seems to realize it only few seconds later as Reyna glared at him and the lares cursed or shimmered but Octavian at first since the beginning of this meeting wore a smug smile. Percy sensed that he must avoid the discussion going in their enemy's name's way.

"Oh no, I came back the same as her" he pointed at Gwen "well more or less if it can be said…" he trailed before going on "you see who would want to realize Thanatos when it would only stop us from coming back?"

"But our enemies also will keep on coming back, we would have to fight countless monsters and in the end getting us killed" Reyna argued glaring at him.

"But us too wouldn't be able to die longer than a couple of hours, and once back we would keep on fighting. I though you guys loved to fight are afraid of the perspective of fighting forever?" he taunted them and he could see most of them didn't appreciate his words, Reyna's dogs growled but once the tightened the grip on his sword the when muted but showed him their fangs.

"Your dogs' smile shines like Apollo's, are you sure he didn't father them" he asked Reyna smiling at her with discontented everyone including the dogs except for they no longer showed him their fangs.

"So that's it? You don't want to release Thanatos because you want to fight forever against the monsters?" Piper angrily spitted at him.

"I'm not the one who worked her ass to save one of the most annoying goddess of Olympus, nor am I the one who wanna go north to release a god of death imprisoned by another goddess and her monsters."

"But if Olympus falls the westerns civilization will also fall with it" he could hear incomprehension and anger in his voice but he didn't care for the moment.

"So you want to go to save Olympus by sacrificing a couple of friends to save the lazy Olympians' butts. How long do you think they will remember of you, did any of you hear one of those selfish idiots says 'thank you' or feel sorry for those who died for them? Tell me you mighty Romans that fought on Mt Orthys, which god _thanked _or felt sorry for your lost?" his eyes went on every faces but none of them would recall those words or feelings for a god. "Everything has a beginning and an end Piper; there was Chaos, then the first primordials then their children, then the titans and then the gods who shall also disappear or be casted away. But as they are too much self centered they'll use their children like puppets and weapons until they cast them aside for another _puppet _so that they won't overthrow them." There was bitterness in his voice; he felt Aer's hand on his shoulder giving him a little grip.


	36. Chapter 36

**HAZEL **

Everyone was scandalized and shocked by what he just said but there was a faint hint of sadness in his voice though masked by anger. There was a little earthquake and winds violently blowing outside as the sky thundered meaning that the gods weren't pleased by what he said. The sympathy look in Arya's eyes told her that she knew about his suffering but Hazel wondered what happened between him and the Olympians to make be resentful of them.

"So you don't want to have to free Thanatos because you were released from his grip" she asked him harsher than she meant it remembering about her last birthday. For a moment he looked startled just like Nico was she saw in the corner of her eye.

"I wasn't released as you seem to be thinking. The first time I escaped and the second time some potion did it for me." He said looking at her right in the eyes. She heard people gasped when he said he escaped but the loudest gasps came from Piper and her brother.

"You died twice" Gwen asked still shocked by his words "how is that possible?" the same question she was asking herself.

"Yep I met Charon twice. And Gwen, the underworld like any prison is not impossible to break out." He turned his head at Nico was seem far in his thought as if trying to recall something or someone "Yes son of Hades, I know some ways to get out of there like Orpheus' path and entrance that is in New York or the other ways made and discovered by many escaping souls." Hazel saw Nico tensing at the mention of all those paths _he knew about them, well after all he is the son of Hades _she thought, but Nico now had a suspicious look in his eyes.

"Who killed you" he asked Alex, which was the first time I heard his voice since yesterday, there was something in his that I didn't catch but Alex just smiled at him as if they were old friends though there was sadness in his eyes.

"Lies and gods, that what killed me both times. The wickedest way to kill an half-blood don't you think?" he turned his eyes at Octavian, then at the senators and then at Reyna "you have a choice to make: going with them on their quest to assure their safety but not coming back with them to fight for your gods or letting them go without me, with them getting hacked in thousand pieces; the choice is yours" he finished.

"But what about Julia and the other children, you don't mean to let them down right?" she asked him with a slight anger. This guy was older than her when she gave up her life to save them from Gaea when she still was a child but here this almost grown up male put his life first before children. "You are her hero, she believes in you and like very much, how could you just cast her aside along with other families" she felt Frank put his hand on her shoulder but she was too much angry to blush at it.

"The legion is there to protect them, aren't you guys there for that sole purpose?" he asked as if talking about the weather "heroes come and go but in the end have painful and lonely death. I saved her and her sister because there was no one else to do it but now the might of Rome is there to do it" he was so calm that she thought he was heartless until she saw the anger and sympathy in her brother's eyes then she understood that she knew him. Reyna and the senators were looking at each other to find a solution but there was no other but accepting his conditions or forcing him which impossible as he was the one with two swords in the hands and they all saw how good he was with one. Hazel looked at her friends, Frank was angry against Alex but there nothing to do about thus his frustration and the shaking of his hands, Arya was looking at them with sorry eyes understanding them but unable to help. But it was Piper intrigued her the most, the daughter of Venus looked torn, hurt, in conflict with herself but also angry and powerless. Something lighted in her eyes, she inhaled a deep breath to calm herself or prepare herself before doing something, her brother looked at Piper and nodded but before she could open her mouth the temperature dropped getting cold and a voice that sent a chill in my body engulfed the room.

"**Don't even think about doing something you might regret for the rest of your life Pipes. I'm neither forgetful nor sweet with those who betray me or try to manipulate me**" the voice as cold full of anger and venom, it reminded Hazel of the voice of the enemies that were broadcasted during WWII, Piper yelped scared just like all of us, shaking as Arya hugged her and glared at Alex. It was only hen that I understood that it came from him. His eyes were cold as his voice, the only feelings they reflected were anger, disappointment and sadness? But what for I didn't know. He had his face turned to her so that she could see his face with the ice sword impaled on the ground and it was steaming and Piper looked more torn but also ashamed. Whatever she wanted to do was aborted by Alex and I wasn't sure she would even try to do it again. The ice sword stopped smoking and there was a sudden heat in the room.

"Ok you shall go with them and then decide the course of your action once Thanatos is freed but we would appreciate it if you could at least escort them back into US territory" Reyna said later after a long council with the senators but shortened by Alex's display.

The concerned boy thought other it for few seconds frowning from time to times but in the end gave in which made us release a sight no one knew we all have been holding. Reyna and the senators talked about our quest and 'Percy' explained that it was better if we avoided the earth and that taking a boat or a plane would be better though we both looked sick at the idea. It was decided that we would be leaving in 2 hours and we had to prepare our supplies before leaving; Reyna dismissed us all but Alex saying that there was something he wanted to ask him, she quickly whispered something in his ears while he nodded then he joined us outside. I could see that Piper didn't really appreciated leaving him behind with Reyna even for few seconds but said nothing.

Nico was waiting for me and he gave the '_we must talk_' look and I followed him, we went near Pluto's temple knowing that no one would disturb or spy on us there. Like always he just sat there lost in his mind without saying anything, for moment I thought that I have been wrong in the reading of his eyes' message. I just stood next to him waiting for any sign coming from him as I followed his gaze thinking about our upcoming quest just as I started to think about what happened few minutes ago, he brought me back from my thoughts.

"That guy is a total mystery, isn't he?" he said but I didn't know if I had to respond to his 'question' he turned around to face me and there was sadness in his eyes. There have always been sadness in his eyes probably because of Bianca but since the meeting there was more than usually in them.

"You know him" was the only thing I could say and he just nodded before talking.

"We met few months ago when he was on the way here. He may be ruthless but he's a good guy I think"

"But you are not sure of his loyalties right?"

"I know that he hates the gods with all his guts for something they did for a common friend but I don't think that he would go as far as help Gaea though he might watch her crushing Olympus as her son tried last year" I shuddered when I recalled of his eyes when he looked at Piper.

"He doesn't like gods or their children why is that?"

"I don't think that he doesn't like demigods but he might not trust them that's probably why he doesn't want to meddle with us or our business"

"Because of what happened to your friend right?" he just nodded looking even sadder. I wondered what kind of bonds they had, how deep their friendship was and what happened to him. I understood that I voiced the last question because he gave me a valid answer but not looking at me.

"He was betrayed by those he saved, those he called _friends_, but those he loved the most." I thought about what he said to Piper "_I'm neither forgetful nor sweet with those who betray me or try to manipulate me_" wondering what he would do or say if he knew about me. But Nico seemed to read my thoughts.

"Don't worry; he would still stand by your side even if he knew what you did because in the end you did the right thing. And I'm sure he won't judge you…he looked too much like Percy sometimes" the last part was barely whispered to himself but I was able to hear it which confused me even more when I remembered Piper's words about a certain Percy. After that we talked about the quest and my past.

Later I left him heading for our barracks, but on my ways I fell on Piper who stood there with her gaze fixed on the _principa_'s door along with Arya. Piper didn't see me but Arya did and she had slight smile on her lips with mischief in her eyes.

"Hey Piper, what are you doing here" I asked her, she clearly wasn't aware of things around her because jumped and yelped at the same time bringing out Arya's giggles and laughs. She looked annoyed at it but quickly recovered herself.

"Oh nothing just passing time, lost in thoughts…you know before the quest" she said but it only made Arya's laughs and giggles harder and louder "What about you, I didn't expect you here ("Of course" Arya muttered under her breath but she ignored her) are you waiting for someone?" I could tell that she clearly was nervous and upset about my presence.

"no I just met Nico few minutes ago and you?" she bitted the bottom of her lips as she quickly glanced at the principa then brush some hair behind her ear but before she could give me a good answer the principa's door opened and Alexander Jackson came out of it. I was surprised to see him there as I watched him walking to us with some scroll in his hands. I looked at Piper who was so much like those children back then at my school when they were caught by the nuns after some mischief then it all made sense to me.

"I was waiting for you to finish talking with your brother and just came back" she quickly said to me with a hint of panic in her voice while Alex still was out of earshot _definitely like those boys back then_ I thought to myself while Arya was puffing.

"Just as you say Piper, but tell me you were waiting for someone else right? Maybe even spying that someone" I said with a slight smile sharing a look with Arya.

There was a light tint of rose on her cheeks when she answered to me "Well it was suspicious of her to call him back, just after a meeting. I could let him go just like that after the way she was eying him." I was startled to learn that Alex and Reyna had a meeting of their own later in principia with just the two of them. The nuns at my school wouldn't have allowed two teenagers to secretly meet alone in a room; I was still wondered about the things they _could_ have been _talking about_ to take so long. Piper seemed to just realize what she said and turned crimson.

"Maybe they just had been talking, maybe Reyna was trying to convince him to come back here with us to help" I tried to defend my praetor.

"And what kind of argument could only need the necessity to be talked alone by just the two of them. What offer she has proposed to convince him? After he's as new as me in Rome" well now that puzzled me but I trusted Reyna and I knew that she was proud so I was sure that there was nothing indecent between them but I could still see the few glances she casted at Alex. Well which girl wouldn't he looked so hot like a god with his brown hairs and sea blue eyes he looked exotic with his tanned skin though I wasn't interested in him and view him as a friend and ally but I could tell that he would bring a fight between Piper and Reyna and between Piper and whatever girl would be too forward with him.

"Hey girls" Alex greeted us, he asked us what we was doing here and Piper quickly said that she was waiting for me to finish my talk with Nico but when we asked him what he was doing back in the principia he said that there was a message Reyna wanted him to give to someone but when I asked him if it was all he just shrugged it off making me share a look with Piper. We decided to go and take Frank and 'Percy' since Mars and Piper said he was faked. On our way there Alex kept on apologizing at Piper about what happened in the principia, thought she looked happy she was still angry at him and the poor guy though that it was still about when as for now it was about something else.

We found Frank and Fake Percy waiting for us along with Terminus who was muttering something at Frank but judging by his frown he didn't understand one thing and just before they parted from we heard Terminus warning Percy through greeted teeth about something out there. When we saw our boat, there was so much disappointment in Percy's and Alex's that it made me forget about the quest. For a moment their physical expression and characteristic looked so much alike that you might have said that they were brothers from a different mother or father that it startled me but as soon as the resemblance came it quickly disappeared. The four of us settle ourselves as we had left Arya at camp for her safety with made Alex chuckles muttering under his breath something about 'Mist' and Percy willed the currents to carry the boat, in few minute our coast became a tiny point and line far behind us.

We were on a little boat but Alex sat as far as possible from 'Fake Percy' who immediately took control over the ship as if he was the captain claiming that he was the son of Neptune so he overpowered the son of a minor sea god when Piper revealed Alex's parentage (which seems to annoy him to no end) 'Fake Percy' was the name I came out with for him as Mars said that he wasn't Percy Jackson as he thought and that he even killed the real guy. So I thought that it was a good name to call him. Piper went back and forth between us and him, but when we reached San Francisco Embarcadero he stood and went to the edge of the boat. We all turned our head to see what captivated his attention and we found sea lions lounging of the docks and an old homeless man was among them. He pointed his bony finger at Alex who tensed and mouthed something like: _Don't even think about._

"Nereus" Alex whispered but as Piper asked him if he knew the guy he just denied it, to fight my nausea I found nothing better than thinking about my last conversation with Nico who by the way announced me that he'll go to look for the _Doors of Death_ no matter how dangerous it seemed but he assured me that we would see each other's again alive so there was nothing else to do that trusting him. Once we reached Stinson Beach Alex once again had his eyes glued on something else beside the sea or the birds in the sky.

"Mount Tam" a voiced said behind us, we all turned around to find Arya getting out of the cabin. I was started to find her here but I wasn't the only though I could see that Alex was expecting her, how could she get here when we left her at camp and I'm sure that we thoroughly checked on the whole boat to avoid unpleasant surprises but we hadn't seen her on board.

"How come you're here when we left you at camp" Frank voiced my thoughts but the little girl just shrugged it off saying she couldn't stand in camp Jupiter with all it seriousness when her brother was taken into a dangerous quest so she '_brought'_ herself to us. She walked to the said brother who had his eyes back on the titan mountain.

"You're still thinking about them right, we shouldn't have come this far" she said glancing at the thundering mountain.

"Zoë…" he muttered with sadness and longing under his breath. I saw Piper tensed beside me when she heard the name and the way it was said.

"And Bianca too, it wasn't your fault Pe…" she replied with her hand on top of his and he just nodded. But Bianca? Wait, is it the same Bianca as Nico's sister or another girl but my gut wasn't feeling it, now I wanted to hear more about him.

"You had been on Mt Tam?" Frank asked them but it was Alex who replied when I was struggling to understand his link to Nico.

"No. never, and you?" I could tell that he was lying when he denied ever been there but I didn't have the time to confront him as Frank answered that he hadn't but told him about the offensive on hit last summer when the gods were fighting Typhon and then Saturn who tried to come back after defeating the father of the monsters. For a moment after Frank said the thing about Saturn, Alex got a challenging and rebellious well an even more rebellious look in his eyes (as he always looked rebellious to me) he opened his mouth trying to object or say something about but he seems to think better of it. As he walked to the other side Arya grabbed his hands.

"Their death wasn't your fault, you have to accept their decision and let it go" she said.

"I accepted their decision but it doesn't mean that I don't curse my own weakness back then. It was a stupid quest to save stupid people and that's it" with that he closed the matter and when further in the back of the boat. Once he disappeared I turned around to Arya.

"He already had been there, right" Piper asked her looking at the little girl right in the eyes. She just nodded at her then glanced in the direction Alex went checking if he was coming back or out of earshot.

"His first quest led him there to save some friends but he lost two other friends on the way and one of them was supposed to be under his protection. And I won't say more, his tale is not mine to share."

"How did get here when he left you on the land" I asked her.

"Oh that? I have my own way and they're secret" she told me with a bright smile on her lips. Later on as we paced on the boat, Alex came back looking perfectly fine which wasn't the case for 'Fake Percy' who looked tired and had a little bit more sweat on his face, Alex fixed his eyes on him making us all uncomfortable except for Arya who looked like she expected Alex to attack him but he just went on the corner and fixed his eyes on the water then his face frowned.

"Get the fuck off this boat" he screamed at himself but seems to talk to someone else. We all turn around to look at him as if he was crazy. Piper sweetly asked him if he was alright to which he just nodded which disappointed her. I swear this guy must e blind or crazy maybe even both if he couldn't see the way Piper looked at him as if he meant the world to her but I think he was just refusing to see it. I glanced at Piper at the same time Arya touched her hands with sympathy in her eyes as if she knew what was wrong with me; Piper gave her a sad smile and wore a strong face then turned around to look at the sea hiding her face from us. Later I fell asleep and as if things weren't bad enough I had to dream about my last days in Alaska and revive my death by my mother's side. I woke up with Frank shaking me but he wasn't alone as I registered that I was surrounded by five faces full of concerned and for once I felt guilty not telling them the truth about the dreams but as I managed to have the courage to tell them, Alex decided to go back to boat to bring me ambrosia and nectar; and Piper chose the moment to go with him but not after glancing at Frank's hand that was still on mine.

**PIPER**

She walked behind with watching at his back _not after_ it as she would've wanted it to be. Since she had known him (which she no longer remembered when) she had always been watching at his retreating back when she would've wanted to stay by his side, her heart ached so much to be at his side but the boy no, the man always kept her away from him or he kept himself away from her as if afraid to be too close to him. Being a child of Athena wasn't necessary for her to understand that he didn't trust people around him, that he looked at them considering who will betray him next. It had taken her a lot of time and patience for her to be no longer seen like a 'potential backstabber' but even with that he never opened himself to her except when they had met her 'rescue team'. She could still remember the way he reacted as his eyes landed on Thalia or how his voice was cold and taunting when speaking to the huntress. All those months on the road had made her able to see the scars in his heart reopening whenever he looked at a family or just a child with his mother alone. At first Piper thought that he had a child who probably died but later understood that he had always seen his mother and himself or with another sibling, but was had been difficult for the girl was that whenever they talked or laughed together, his face would quickly take a painful expression before being replaced by a frown eclipsed by a passive and neutral expression. Being daughter of Aphrodite she understood that it was because of a girl, he was wary of her…of any girl but Arya. How much did he love _that _girl to make him so paranoiac? How could any girl play him the heart of a guy like him she always wondered but then she would remember of Percy Jackson who was betrayed by the same girl for whom he had refused immortality. She too had experienced a heartbreak but she was sure that for Alexander it ran deeper than hers, as deep as Percy. "_They must have loved them so much to be so destroyed and distrustful_" she thought to herself_, "at least Percy died and no longer live with his pain"_. She felt anger spreading inside her, a fire she hadn't felt since a long time but what transformed her into a comet was jealousy. She was jealous of Annabeth who had leave so a Romance with the best boyfriend any girl would dream of to smash it like her siblings liked to do; but more importantly her jealousy and anger was locked on that unknown girl who had broke Alex's heart, that same girl who had made her heart ache a boy who wouldn't even see her, the girl who prevent her from putting her head on Alex's shoulder running her hands in his hair while he held her closer to him. As if reading her thoughts Arya glanced at her.

She looked before her expecting to once again see Alex's retreating back but only saw their boat with Alex getting off with his back bag. They looked at each other's eyes and their faces suddenly got flushed. They stood there expecting the other to start speaking but there was no word uttered from them though Piper wanted to confront him about his walls he would pull out whenever she was near getting over their current relation but the thought of making him angry with her words wasn't a risk she wanted to afford. The truth is no word was needed between them to understand one another but words were also needed which frustrated Piper more than she would ever admit.

"I think we should go. The others are waiting for us" was the only thing that came out of his mouth when Piper was expecting a more expressive and personal sentence but she understood that it was the only thing she would get from him. As he passed by, she grabbed his shirt from the back holding him down. He stopped his tracks, motionless waiting for what she would say but he just felt her putting her head on his back listening his heart pulses , she reveled herself in his smell and without noticing it put her forehead on his neck then lightly kissed the base of his neck making him shudder as a moan escaped his lips. He turned around he looked at in the eyes mesmerized by the way they shone under the moon's light , own they changed color in a blink of an eye _man she's going to be the death of me, if she already isn't_ he thought before kissing her. He heard someone humming a Romantic song but all of it was blasted as he felt her tongue in his mouth; they wrapped their arms around each other as their hands went from cheeks to: hairs, back, waist, shoulders…they totally had forgot their friends. When they separated they bore stupid grins with shinning eyes until they remembered their friends and what had just happened they backed off blushing, but when Piper wanted to once again close the distance between them he just said "the others are waiting…" he took few steps before stopping and looking at her from his shoulder and muttered a "sorry" before going.

Piper's heart nearly stopped beating, she didn't want him to say that he was sorry, she wanted him to give her his hands like in those Romantic movies. At least she wanted him to say that he liked her kiss just the way she loved it. _Why does he always have to ruin things between us gods he kiss amazing, _but there was only one word her mind was telling her "fear" but Piper vowed that the next time they would kiss would be the last because at that moment they would be together. _Yes, mine forever _she thought bringing her hands at her lips still feeling and tasting him _I wonder who…_ but she quickly stop her thoughts not wanting to imagine him kissing another girl the way he did kiss her. She quickly ran after him.

On their way they found 'Percy' watching out for them, he explained to them that Hazel had been kidnapped by 'moving grasses' which earned him crazy looks from the others. And that he came to look for them while Frank went after the 'moving grasses'. They ran for the rest of the way and it took them some time to find Frank who beside the wild look in his eyes had kept his focus though Piper was sure that he was on the edge of a heart attack. She hadn't fell to notice the feelings between to two Romans though a little bit awkward around each other, there was an undeniable 'sprouting love' (as her mother would've said) even if they were more or less conscious of it especially Hazel but Piper could also see the hesitation from the girl as much as the remembrance of someone else which she didn't understand how. There was no way to Piper to let her new found friend who had done so much for her when she stumbled into Rome's borders after being chased after by gorgons all the way from San Francisco to new Rome on the hands of the 'moving grasses' which most likely were Gaea's spawns. Luckily for them and luckily for Hazel, they were able to find their kidnapped friend but almost laughed went they so the culprits although it didn't stop them from annihilating the 'moving grasses'.


	37. Chapter 37

**HAZEL**

Hazel had been buying her time to allow her friends to find her because she was sure that they would or it would be the very end of her on her safety place when other monsters would come. She was also trying to get intelligence out of those stupid little monsters when her friend came out and killed them all. Some of them started to reform but Alex took out a lighter out of his bag all set to start a fire.

"Try it," he warned, "and I'll set this whole field on fire. Stay dead. Stay away from us, or the grass gets it!" Frank winced like the flame terrified him. Hazel didn't understand why, but she shouted at the grain piles anyway:

"He'll do it! He's crazy!" which she thought was true remembering how he acted in Rome few days ago. The remnants of the _karpoi_ scattered in the wind. Frank climbed the rock and watched them go. Alex extinguished his lighter and grinned at Hazel as Piper wondered if the two of them weren't crazy.

"Do you know that he would've burn all of us if he putted fire on the fields?" 'Percy' screamed at Hazel who grinned at him like some mad scientist; for once Piper had to admit that he was probably saying the truth.

"Wouldn't have been so bad with you being a son of Neptune, some petty fire wouldn't hurt you just like for Alex (who flinched) and I could've take Piper, Frank and I underground." Once again she noticed Frank flinching at the mention of fire.

"Thanks for yelling. We wouldn't have found you otherwise. How'd you hold them off so long?" Alex said as if he never heard 'Percy's words.

She pointed to the rock.

"A big pile of schist."

"Excuse me?"

"Guys," Frank called from the top of the rock. "You need to see this." Alex and Hazel climbed up to join him while Piper, 'Percy' and Arya were joining them. As soon as Hazel saw what he was looking at, she inhaled sharply.

"Percy, no light! Put up your sword!" Frank hushed which he did but Alex stood there for a moment as if he wanted to protest about something but shrugged it off. b

"Schist!" He touched the sword tip, and Riptide shrank back into a pen. Down below them, an army was on the move. The field dropped into a shallow ravine, where a country road wound north and south. On the opposite side of the road, grassy hills stretched to the horizon, empty of civilization except for one darkened convenience store at the top of the nearest rise.

The whole ravine was full of monsters—column after column marching south, so many and so close, Hazel was amazed they hadn't heard her shouting. She, Frank, and Percy crouched against the rock. They watched in disbelief as several dozen large, hairy humanoids passed by, dressed in tattered bits of armor and animal fur. The creatures had six arms each, three sprouting on either side, so they looked like cavemen evolved from insects.

"Gegenes," Hazel whispered. "The Earthborn." She said all together with Piper, then they looked at each other.

"You've fought them before?" 'Percy' asked. She shook her head but it wasn't the case for Piper.

"Yes…I think so, though I can't remember about it" she then glanced at Alex who had his eyes focused on the enemy lines trying to have a number of them but Arya nodded at her confirming her suspicions.

"Just heard about them in monster class at camp." She'd never liked monster class—reading Pliny the Elder and those other musty authors who described legendary monsters from the edges of the Roman Empire. Hazel believed in monsters, but some of the descriptions were so wild, she had thought they must be just ridiculous rumors. Only now, a whole army of those rumors was marching by.

"The Earthborn fought the Argonauts," she murmured. "And those things behind them—"

"Centaurs," 'Percy' said. "But…that's not right. Centaurs are good guys." Alex gave a mocking chuckle in the back of his throat as his face contorted into a disgusted frown which Hazel didn't understood but assumed that he's had a bad experience with them.

Frank made a choking sound. "That's not what we were taught at camp. Centaurs are crazy, always getting drunk and killing heroes."

"Party Ponies" Alex murmured chuckling again and it started to get on Hazel's nerves that he was laughing at a member of Frank's quest even if she wasn't friend with 'fake Percy'.

Hazel watched as the horse-men cantered past. They were human from the waist up, palomino from the waist down. They were dressed in barbarian armor of hide and bronze, armed with spears and slings. At first, Hazel thought they were wearing Viking helmets. Then she realized they had actual horns jutting from their shaggy hair.

"Are they supposed to have bull's horns?" she asked.

"Maybe they're a special breed," Frank said.

"A _very_ special breed" Alex commented.

"Let's not ask them, okay?" 'Percy' gazed farther down the road and his face went slack. "My gods ... Cyclopes." Sure enough, lumbering after the centaurs was a battalion of one-eyed ogres, both male and female, each about ten feet tall, wearing armor cobbled out of junkyard metal. Six of the monsters were yoked like oxen, pulling a two-story-tall siege tower fitted with a giant scorpion ballista. Percy pressed the sides of his head. "Cyclopes. Centaurs. This is wrong. All wrong."

The monster army was enough to make anyone despair, but Hazel realized that something else was going on with 'Percy'. He looked pale and sickly in the moonlight, as if his memories were trying to come back, scrambling his mind in the process. She glanced at Frank.

"We need to get him back to the boat. The sea will make him feel better."

She glanced at Alex who from the first time since she met the boy wasn't looking at 'Percy' as if wanted to out his sword in his heart but with pity though the look he gave her show her that he wouldn't carry him

"No argument," Frank said. "There are too many of them. The camp…we have to warn the camp."

"They know," Alex carefully whispered. "Reyna knows."

A lump formed in Hazel's throat. There was no way the legion could fight so many. If they were only a few hundred miles north of Camp Jupiter, their quest was already doomed. They could never make it to Alaska and back in time.

"Come on," she urged. "Let's…" Then she saw the giant. When he appeared over the ridge, Hazel couldn't quite believe her eyes. He was taller than the siege tower—thirty feet, at least—with scaly reptilian legs like a Komodo dragon from the waist down and green-blue armor from the waist up. His breastplate was shaped like rows of hungry monstrous faces, their mouths open as if demanding food. His face was human, but his hair was wild and green, like a mop of seaweed. As he turned his head from side to side, snakes dropped from his dreadlocks. Viper dandruff—gross. He was armed with a massive trident and a weighted net. Just the sight of those weapons made Hazel's stomach clench. She'd faced that type of fighter in gladiator training many times. It was the trickiest, sneakiest, most evil combat style she knew. This giant was a supersize retiarius.

"Who is he?" Frank's voice quivered. "That's not—"

"Not Alcyoneus," Hazel said weakly. "One of his brothers, I think. The one Terminus mentioned. The grain spirit mentioned him, too. That's Polybotes."She wasn't sure how she knew, but she could feel the giant's aura of power even from here. She remembered that feeling from the Heart of the Earth as she had raised Alcyoneus—as if she were standing near a powerful magnet, and all the iron in her blood was being drawn toward it. This giant was another child of Gaea—a creature of the earth so malevolent and powerful, he radiated his own gravitational field. Hazel knew they should leave.

Their hiding place on top of the rock would be in plain sight to a creature that tall if he chose to look in their direction. But she sensed something important was about to happen. She and her friends crept a little farther down the schist and kept watching. As the giant got close, a Cyclops woman broke ranks and ran back to speak with him. She was enormous, fat, and horribly ugly, wearing a chain-mail dress like a muumuu—but next to the giant she looked like a child. She pointed to the closed-up convenience store on top of the nearest hill and muttered something about food. The giant snapped back an answer, as if he was annoyed. The female Cyclopes barked an order to her kindred, and three of them followed her up the hill. When they were halfway to the store, a searing light turned night into day. Hazel was blinded. Below her, the enemy army dissolved into chaos, monsters screaming in pain and outrage. Hazel squinted. She felt like she'd just stepped out of a dark theater into a sunny afternoon.

"Too pretty!" the Cyclopes shrieked.

"Burns our eye!" The store on the hill was encased in a rainbow, closer and brighter than any Hazel had ever seen. The light was anchored at the store, shooting up into the heavens, bathing the countryside in a weird kaleidoscopic glow. The lady Cyclops hefted her club and charged at the store. As she hit the rainbow, her whole body began to steam. She wailed in agony and dropped her club, retreating with multicolored blisters all over her arms and face.

"Horrible goddess!" she bellowed at the store. "Give us snacks!"The other monsters went crazy, charging the convenience store, then running away as the rainbow light burned them. Some threw rocks, spears, swords, and even pieces of their armor, all of which burned up in flames of pretty colors. Finally the giant leader seemed to realize that his troops were throwing away perfectly good equipment. "Stop!" he roared.

With some difficulty, he managed to shout and push and pummel his troops into submission. When they'd quieted down, he approached the rainbow-shielded store himself and stalked around the borders of the light.

"Goddess!" he shouted. "Come out and surrender!" No answer from the store. The rainbow continued to shimmer. The giant raised his trident and net. "I am Polybotes! Kneel before me so I may destroy you quickly." Apparently, no one in the store was impressed. A tiny dark object came sailing out the window and landed at the giant's feet. Polybotes yelled, "Grenade!" He covered his face. His troops hit the ground. When the thing did not explode, Polybotes bent down cautiously and picked it up. He roared in outrage.

"A Ding Dong? You dare insult me with a Ding Dong?" He threw the cake back at the shop, and it vaporized in the light.

The monsters got to their feet. Several muttered hungrily, "Ding Dongs? Where Ding Dongs?"

"Let's attack," said the lady Cyclops. "I am hungry. My boys want snacks!"

"No!" Polybotes said. "We're already late. Alcyoneus wants us at the camp in four days' time. You Cyclopes move inexcusably slowly. We have no time for minor goddesses!"He aimed that last comment at the store, but got no response. The lady Cyclops growled.

"The camp, yes. Vengeance! The orange and purple ones destroyed my home. Now Ma Gasket will destroy theirs! Do you hear me, Leo? Jason? Piper? I come to annihilate you!" The other Cyclopes bellowed in approval. The rest of the monsters joined in. Hazel's whole body tingled. She glanced at her friends.

"Jason," she whispered.

"She fought Jason. He might still be alive."Frank nodded. "Do those other names mean anything to you?"

Hazel shook her head. She didn't know any Leo or Piper at camp...wait _Piper?_

Frank too must've understood what they said as they both turned around to look at a shaking Piper threatening to crush her head with her hands.

"I don't know…Jason, Leo…I can't remember" she said in the verge of tears but Alex reassuringly took her in his harms putting her head on his chest. Even if they didn't hear sobs Hazel was sure that she was crying; Alex kept on saying soothing words at her drawing circles on her back. It almost look sweet to Hazel if there wasn't for the dire situation they were in. 'Percy' still looked sickly and dazed. If the names meant anything to him, he didn't show it. Hazel pondered what the Cyclops had said: Orange and purple ones. Purple—obviously the color of Camp Jupiter. But orange…'Percy' had shown up in a tattered orange shirt just like Piper did. That couldn't be a coincidence. Below them, the army began to march south again, but the giant Polybotes stood to one side, frowning and sniffing the air.

"Sea god," he muttered. To Hazel's horror, he turned in their direction. "I smell sea god." Alex stopped breathing and turned white with Piper still in his hands while 'Percy' was shaking. Hazel put her hand on his shoulder and tried to press him flat against the rock. The lady Cyclops Ma Gasket snarled.

"Of course you smell sea god! The sea is right over there!"

"More than that," Polybotes insisted. "I was born to destroy Neptune. I can sense…" He frowned, turning his head and shaking out a few more snakes.

"Do we march or sniff the air?" Ma Gasket scolded. "I don't get Ding Dongs, you don't get sea god!" Polybotes growled. "Very well. March! March!" He took one last look at the rainbow-encased store, then raked his fingers through his hair. He brought out three snakes that seemed larger than the rest, with white markings around their necks.

"A gift, goddess! My name, Polybotes, means 'Manyto- Feed!' Here are some hungry mouths for you. See if your store gets many customers with these sentries outside."He laughed wickedly and threw the snakes into the tall grass on the hillside. Then he marched south, his massive Komodo legs shaking the earth. Gradually, the last column of monsters passed over the hills and disappeared into the night. Once they were gone, the blinding rainbow shut off like a spotlight. Hazel, Frank, and Percy were left alone in the dark, staring across the road at a closed-up convenience store.

"That was different," Frank muttered. Alex and 'Percy' shuddered violently at the same time. Hazel knew he needed help, or rest, or something. Seeing that army seemed to have triggered some kind of memory, leaving him shell-shocked. They should get him back to the boat. On the other hand, a huge stretch of grassland lay between them and the beach. Hazel got the feeling the _karpoi_ wouldn't stay away forever. She didn't like the idea of the three of them making their way back to the boat in the middle of the night. And she couldn't shake the dreadful feeling that if she hadn't summoned that schist, she'd be a captive of the giant right now.

"Let's go to the store," she said. "If there's a goddess inside, maybe she can help us."

"Except a bunch of snake things are guarding the hill now," Frank said. "And that burning rainbow might comeback." They both looked at Percy, who was shaking like he had hypothermia.

"We've got to try," Hazel said.

Frank nodded grimly. "Well…any goddess who throws a Ding Dong at a giant can't be all bad. Let's go."

They headed straight to the store; they got closer with smooth foot falls, a few yards before reaching it there was a hiss sound followed by another one then another.

"Go" Frank yelled at them, already understanding the origin of the sounds. Seeing the girls difficulties with the boys he took off his bow from his back and blindly shot at the sounds trying to buy them time until Hazel called him back and they put aside their doubts on the store before getting in.

Once inside they found out that it was different from what they expected, but it all disappear seeing the state of their friends. 'Percy' leaned on Hazel and looked worse than outside which wasn't much different from Piper who was shaking and crying on Alex's chest. But what worried them was that even Alex was affected because he was shaking as much as Piper and looking paler than usual though he was putting a strong face you tell that there encounter had shaken him up. Only Arya looked fine and was trying to sit Piper while Hazel was doing the same with 'Percy' when a girl appeared making Frank jump backward. The statue of Neptune behind him fell and the god's head rolled off spewing water, 'Percy' looked worse at the sight of his father's statue while Alex surely appreciated the spectacle judging from his broad smile and the light in his eyes, he looked finer to Hazel and as to prove her right he stood and made the effort to sit next to Piper.

From the back of the store, a woman's voice called: "Fleecy? Don't scare the customers, now. Bring them here, will you?"

"Your name is Fleecy?" Hazel asked. Fleecy giggled.

"Well, in the language of the nebulae it's actually—" She made a series of crackling and blowing noises that reminded Frank of a thunderstorm giving way to a nice cold front. "But you can call me Fleecy."

"Nebulae…" Alex muttered in a daze. "Cloud nymphs."

Fleecy beamed. "Oh, I like this one! Usually no one knows about cloud nymphs. But dear me, he doesn't look so good. Come to the back. My boss wants to meet you. We'll get your friend fixed up."

Fleecy led them through the produce aisle, between rows of eggplants, kiwis, lotus fruit, and pomegranates. At the back of the store, behind a counter with an old-fashioned cash register, stood a middle-aged woman with olive skin, long black hair, rimless glasses, and a T-shirt that read: The Goddess Is Alive! She wore amber necklaces and turquoise rings. She smelled like rose petals.

Hazel saw Alex taking a guarded position at the sight of the goddess, she could see him tense ready to fight if the goddess attacked him which she didn't understand but as she remembered how he fought Mars in Rome, she was sure that soon enough he would jump on the goddess. The goddess eyed Alex than his sister as if confirming something before greeting them.

"Hello, I'm Iris."

**FRANK**

Frank sat on the _Pax_ while Alex guided it through the waters, he had been explaining things to them but Alex was too far to hear him. He couldn't stop thinking about what Iris had told him and he didn't want to talk behind Alex's back or to badmouth him before Piper and Arya was with them.

"_Suffice it to say, the Argonauts drove away the harpies in exchange for Phineas's help. That was eons ago, but I understand Phineas has returned to the mortal world. You'll find him in Portland, Oregon, which is on your way north. But you must promise me one thing. If he's still plagued by harpies, do not kill them, no matter what Phineas promises you, especially with that demigod with you. Win his help some other way. The harpies are not evil. They're my sisters."_

"_Who, Percy?" Frank asked but the goddess who her head "Alex? What about him?"_

"_I'm not trying to scare you or mess your quest but you'll have to be weary of him." She looked embarrassed but what she was saying but it didn't stop her "that boy loath the gods and no one seems to know him or his reason, just that he's dangerous. He shook the whole Olympus and currently is on Jupiter's wanted list."_

"_So why is he on the quest with us?" Frank asked not knowing why his father wanted him to take such a dangerous element on his quest. Is it a test or he wanted us to occupied him while looking for something._

"_That only Juno and Mars know. But even them are taking a risked bet that might cost them too much. Just don't let him be too long with Phineas."_

But as if Olympus heard his silent plea, 'Percy' and Piper both fell asleep while Arya went to join her brother. They watched her as she took one of his hands into hers then whispered something into his ear and he nodded at her. They kept on watching their brother/sister interaction for a moment before Frank repeated at her what Iris had told him after making sure that 'Percy' and Piper really were asleep.

He told her everything including his memory of his encounter with the bear when he was a kid. He saw Hazel glance at Alex then at Piper's sleeping form.

"No" was all she said.

"No, what?" he asked.

"I don't think that he will betray us, especially Piper. I know that for whatever reason he hates the gods but it doesn't mean that he's going to side with the enemy." She said looking at him.

"But Jupiter want him dead" he protested.

"Do you think that trying to kill him would be easier here more than in Rome? If we _try_ we'll both be dead and half of Rome will be lost by his hands." She looked at Alex before adding "I trust him and he's my friend."

Frank started to feel jealous of Alex because not even knowing him for a long time, Hazel considered him like a friend and she trusted him enough with their life. He quickly brushed aside the felling before talking; but he couldn't manage to hide it in his voice when he said.

"Then you'd better keep you friend in line because it will be hard once we'll meet Phineas"

If Hazel hear his tone she didn't saw though surprised by what her friend had say. They both noticed the way Alex tensed seeing Iris and how she lingered her eyes on him. Unconsciously they both looked at Alex with one golden question in their mind: what happened between Alex and the Olympians? They were dying to know the answer already feeling that it wasn't some stupid reason behind it.


	38. Chapter 38

**HAZEL**

I looked once again at Alex who now had his eyes on a whale and seemed to be talking with it, and then he made a makeshift rope and strapped it around the whale. Our boat then went faster than before and 'Percy' let his control on it to rest. He muttered his hanks to Alex but the guy didn't even dare to look at him or give him a nod which was rude. As much as I was surprised to see him talking with a whale I didn't like his behavior toward 'Percy' even if I too didn't like the arrogant guy. Alex seeing that 'fake P' wasn't on the board anymore he decided to take a swim with the seal, we all protested and tried to stop him but he jumped scaring Piper and making her angry. With the movements of the boats making me feel sick I tried to cope by sleeping and for the first time I had dreams that weren't related to my childhood.

I imagined myself in a junkyard, I could hear shouts and the ground was shaking as some gigantic metal looking man was walking. Someone said something beside me and I looked up to see Alex, he didn't look as himself because of his dark hairs and sea green eyes but it was the same voice and something was telling me that it was him. I felt something in my hand and I looked down to see it clenched on a figurine of a guy in black. Then I said something that I couldn't hear at Alex giving him my figurine before heading for one of the metallic feet and everything went black. Then I imagined myself on Mount Tamalpais, north of San Francisco, watching people fighting at the old Titan stronghold. That didn't make sense. It wasn't the Romans who were now fighting as when they had attacked, but she saw it all clearly: a Titan in armor, a blond girl with intimidating grey eyes which now were full of fear and weariness, and two other girls fighting at Alex's side. Though he looked younger there was no mistaking in my eyes that it was him. One of the girls died in the battle. Alex knelt over her, watching as she dissolved into stars.

I woke up with Frank shaking me, I looked around to see that everybody just woke up but someone had been missing but I didn't know who so I asked Frank who told me that Alex wasn't on board, Frank must've seen my puzzled look because he told that he was down in the sea. Seeing my doubtful look in Piper's eyes as in mine he invited to look over and we saw a guy lying down on his back on top of a seal as we would be lying down on his bed, when he saw us he waved at and we waved back though I was hoping that I didn't have the stupid smile Piper had now. He joined us saying that the whale would soon leave us as we were getting close to Portland; he went straight to stand before Piper.

"Hey"

"Hey" she weakly answer to him with her head down looking at her feet. He raised her face by her chin with two fingers before tenderly pulling out some unruly strands of hairs out of her face then behind her ears. I was worried because when Frank woke us Piper's face was pale which I putted on a bad dream because I knew no matter how much she was afraid, she would complete her quest but now I was wondering if the girl was healthy because in a blink of a eye she no longer was pale but pink. She nodded at some of his words and visibly relaxed before he left her to glance again at the whale. He was blind or cruel if he didn't know the way she looked at him expecting his attention but he seemed to run away from her or trying to but unfortunately always came back at her knowingly or unknowingly. I looked at his little sister and I was sure she was thinking the same judging by her sympathy look at Piper who decided to appear stronger than few seconds ago.

The boated shook making all of them fall, with Hazel on top of Frank who protectively wrapped his arms around her little frame while Piper was held by Alex. The only ones who were alone were Arya sitting on a winning 'Percy'; the two couples glanced at each other's eyes and it was only then they registered their positions. Hazel quickly stood up, stepping back feeling a little flip in her stomach uttering a sorry at Frank who just shrugged it off sitting looking at the other way but his incredulous/shocked look with a hanging mouth made Hazel wanted to see the source of his expression. She turned around to see Piper and Alex face to face but what had Hazel's attention and most likely Frank's too was _where _Alex's right hand was: on Piper's left breast and the two didn't seem to register it too much occupied at looking at each other's eyes as their lips closed the distance between them. Hazel wanted to stop them but also wanted to see what was about to happen but it was ruined by 'Fake Percy' who groaned loudly at the sight and dramatically cleared his throat only then did they register their position.

"Sorry" they both said putting some distance between their faces which wore a pink shade. Then Piper seemed to 'feel' his hand on her because she glanced at his hand and turned scarlet but Alex didn't seem to register it so she clearly throat nodding at his hand and only then did he see where it was.

"Sorry" he muttered removing his hand also turning red then he glanced at his hand which made Piper redder than it was possible. Hazel swore that Piper had looked slightly disappointed when he removed his hand and that Alex's hand had slowly squeezed her breast before leaving it but she put it on her too much wild imagination. But she wanted to strangle 'Percy' for ruining Piper's moment just when they were about to kiss. Piper quickly left him to go at the other side of the boat and Alex stood there for a moment looking at his hand with a stupid grin of his pink face. Seeing all the eyes on him he turned around and went to see the waters and then he laughed. All of them when to see what was so funny to found out that there boat was no longer being pulled by a wheal but instead it was done by sturgeons.

They all sat and waited to reach their destination, fear, nervousness and excitement ran on the boat. Alex was at his corer as far as possible from 'Percy' and from time to time he would glance at his right hand doing squeezing motions which only made pipe red though Hazel couldn't tell if it was from embarrassment. Arya putted an end to it by throwing one of her shoe at him. Frank had the good idea to ask them if one of them had a dream and what it was about. Hazel started to tell her story about the girl with the toy and then about the battle against what looked like a Titan all of it happening in their fortress. Unfortunately she didn't catch the shaking of Alex's hands and the knowing look he shared with Arya but didn't escape Piper's eyes that narrowed them on the sibling pair. Then it was Piper's turn.

"I was walking in a strawberry field, and then I saw the giant warship in its dry dock. The bronze dragon figurehead glinted in the morning light. The riggings and armaments were complete, but something was wrong. A hatch in the deck was open, and smoke poured from some kind of engine. A boy with curly black hair that I feel like I should remember (Alex tensed to Hazel's delight to see that he cared) was cursing as he pounded the engine with a wrench. Two other demigods squatted next to him, watching with concern. One was a teenage guy with short blond hair." She had to stop having a flash of herself kissing the boy, flushing and trying to hide it from her friends.

"…Jason!" Hazel shouted interrupting Piper in the middle of her daydream but the images chose that very moment to disappear. But seeing what she did, she apologized quickly and told her to keep on.

And Piper happily went back to her tale "…The other was a girl with long dark hair and blue eyes just like the boy."

Frank looked at Hazel to see if she had any idea of who it was, but she shook her head not having the slightest idea of her identity and for all she knew, Jason was the only legionnaire who went missing. But they all failed to see Alex's back tense at the description of the girl, all of them but Piper.

"_You realize it's the solstice" the girl said. "We're supposed to leave today."_

"_I know that!" The curly-haired mechanic whacked the engine a few more times. "Could be the fizz rockets. Could be the samophlange. Could be Gaea messing with us again. I'm not sure!"_

"_How long" the blond guy asked._

"_Two, three days."_

"_They may not have that long" the girl warned. _

"Something told me that she meant Camp Jupiter. Then the scene shifted again. I saw a boy and his dog roaming over the yellow hills of California." She paused when she saw Alex's head suddenly rose up, giving him a curious look but he just shrugged it off making her continue.

"…But as the image became clearer I realized it wasn't a boy. It was a Cyclops in ragged jeans and a flannel shirt. The dog was a shambling mountain of black fur easily as big as a rhino. The Cyclops carried a massive club over his shoulder but I didn't feel that he was an enemy." She nervously said, afraid that the others might judge her stupid.

"Cyclops are dangerous monsters, every monsters are enemies helping the giants" 'fake Percy' said earning him a glare from Alex and his sister which unsettled Hazel.

"He kept yelling Percy's name calling him "brother". "

"Which I wasn't able to understand as Perc-" she started to explain to her friends but Alex jumped on his feet and a name more like a whisper escaped from his mouth.

"Tyson!" every pair of eyes were on him, wondering how he could know a Cyclops but he shrugged it before meeting his eyes with his sister and there was a silent exchange between the two that Hazel didn't get. Then seeing that Alex had no intention to share his knowledge with them, Piper continued telling her dream.

"_He smells farther away" the Cyclops moaned to the dog. "Why does he smell farther?"_ she finished her story but she could see tell that they knew that she hadn't tell her whole dream, and she couldn't lie to herself about what she heard or saw as it quickly and vividly came back in her mind.

"_ROOF!" the dog barked and Piper's dream changed again. She saw a range of snowy mountains so tall they broke the clouds. Gaea's sleeping face appeared in the shadows of the rocks. "Such a valuable pawn she said soothingly. Do not fear Piper McLean. Come north! Your friends will die yes. But I will preserve you for now along with your dear friend Percy. I have great plans for you." The goddess must had seen the doubt in her eyes because she added "Don't worry child, he's travelling with you…thank you for bringing him to me, thank for putting such a valuable and wonderful piece in my hands." The girl could only watch the sinister smile on the goddess' face when she wondered if Gaea was only taunting her._

_In a valley between the mountains lay a massive field of ice. The edge plunged into the sea hundreds of feet below with sheets of frost constantly crumbling into the water. On top of the ice field stood a legion camp ramparts moats towers barracks just like Camp Jupiter except three times as large. At the crossroads outside the principia a figure in dark robes stood shackled to the ice. Piper's vision swept past her into the headquarters. There in the gloom sat a giant even bigger than Polybotes. His skin glinted gold. Displayed behind him were the tattered frozen banners of a Roman legion including a large golden eagle with its wings spread. "We await you" the giant's voice boomed. "While you fumble your way north trying to find me my armies will destroy your precious camps first the Romans then the others. You cannot win little demigod." Even with __**him**__ in your rank…and soon to be in ours." He ominously added._

That's the moment chosen by Frank to wake her and since then one hundred questions had been running in her head. She considered each one of her friends wondering who could be Perseus Jackson in hiding; she was sure that it couldn't have been the one calling himself Percy thought he clearly was a son of Neptune, but there was also the possibility that it could be Alexander but how come she never saw him doing awesome things with water as the real Percy used to do it? And if it was the case she would've know when they still were on the road, _like you knew that his real name was Alexander instead of Hunter or that he could deflect water with his sword_ her inner voice told her. Now she could see that there was a lot more things that she ignored about the boy who where on her mind 24/7 but Hazel's piercing eyes ended her thoughts.

"Who is that cyclops you call Tyson" Hazel careful asked him, aware of the pain and sadness that installed itself in his eyes since Piper said the name. Alex turned his head to the other side avoiding their eyes.

"He was an old friend's brother…" now Hazel wanted to ask which friend it was about but she didn't wanted to pain the guy knowing how much old memories could be painful. Thanks to her someone else gave her half of what she needed.

"Percy's little brother, the one who led his brethren against the Titans army in Atlantis" Piper bugged in but Hazel could see that she didn't thought her answer and that just as it popped up in her mind it also disappeared.

Alex looked at her as if trying to see something beyond the girl who blushed at the attention. He nodded, then sighed running a hand threw his hairs "He died few months ago, and I was told that nature spirits don't have souls so…" he thrown as if remembering something about the one who told it to him. There was a flash of concern and pain in Piper's face that only a girl could've catch. She could see how much Piper wanted to take him in her eyes and comfort him saying that everything would be ok while trying to share his pain but she couldn't and at that moment Hazel swore to do everything possible for them so that by the end of their quest the two of them would be a couple. She grinned wickedly at her plans which earned her worrying looks from the whole company but thanks to the gods they arrived before Frank or 'fake Percy' could say anything they got off of the boat.

She looked at Piper who was being helped by Alex to get off the boat with his back bag. The two of them looked at each other's eyes and their faces turned red remembering their position earlier on the boat, Alex unconsciously glanced at his hand the same that at touched her…nipple, it made a squeezing gesture and Piper prayed her mother to make her disappear on the spot as nuclear heat spread in her body. Arya put an end to it by smacking her bow on his back (just on his most sensible spot) shouting a "pervert" at him which brought a stupid grin on his face. "He really appreciated the contact" a laughing voice whispered in her head making her redder than healthier. The boy still blushing quickly walked pass her to go back were they came from and she followed him avoiding Arya's searching eyes.

'Fake Percy' wanted to help her too but Frank released a bear growl and the boy understood him, but Hazel not wanting to give Frank the satisfaction of helping her off the boat she gave him a laughing Arya as she jumped off the boat which made Arya laughed once she saw Frank's disappointment.

**PIPER**

They didn't walk for long as they heard noises, a man screaming, few wings sounds, squeals. They followed the noise and found a bald old and fat man fighting off harpies from his foods whom they understood was Phineas; they stood there dumbfound looking at what was going on, Alex was a younger and smaller harpy with red feathers profit from her man's attention being diverted to the others and dive for his food but unfortunately for her the man was expecting her to do it. He quickly spun on himself and smacked her on the back with his weed whacker.

"Stop it" he quickly ran at the man grabbing his arm before he could once again it the harpy who took the momentum to fly away as much as she able to do with her arched back. He put pressure on his hand until the old man knelt and screamed. Frank was able to make him stopping recalling him that they needed his help which only disgusted him more, but only this time they all bore the same feeling.

"Ha, since when do we stop someone from defending his food" he screamed at Alex massaging his wrist which only gave the teen the urged to smack his back with his weed whacker. "But thank you for making the others run" he said at them "…and from stopping your crazy friend" he grinned at Frank.

Frank bit back his anger. He hadn't meant to help the old man, but he remembered that they needed information from him. "Uh, whatever."

'Fake Percy' approached the old guy, keeping one eye on the weed whacker.

"I'm Percy Jackson. This is—"

"Demigods!" the old man said. "I can always smell demigods." Hazel frowned.

"Do we smell that bad?" The old man laughed. "Of course not, my dear. But you'd be surprised how sharp my other senses became once I was blinded. I'm Phineas. And you—wait, don't tell me—" He reached for 'Percy's face and poked him in the eyes.

"Ow!" 'Percy' complained.

"Son of Neptune!" Phineas exclaimed. "I thought I smelled the ocean on you, you should stop calling yourself_ Percy Jackson_ especially when he's _close_ to you. Right?" he grinned at Alex "by the way I'm also a son of Neptune, you know."

"Hey…yeah. Okay." 'Percy' rubbed his eyes. Just his luck he was related to this grubby old dude than he remembered his words but he didn't understand them just like the others.

Phineas turned to Hazel. "And here…Oh my, the smell of gold and deep earth. Hazel Levesque, daughter of Pluto. And next to you—the son of Mars. But there's more to your story, Frank Zhang—"

"Ancient blood," Frank muttered. "Prince of Pylos. Blah, blah, blah."

"Periclymenus, exactly! Oh, he was a nice fellow. I loved the Argonauts!" Frank's mouth fell open.

"W-wait. Perry who?" Phineas grinned.

"Don't worry. I know about your family. That story about your great-grandfather? He didn't _Really_ destroy the camp. Now, what an interesting group. Are you hungry?"

Frank looked like he'd been run over by a truck, but Phineas had already moved on to the others "Oh what do we have here, a fine angel has graced us with her presence" he said examining Piper who involuntary blushed "Piper McLean, _seaweed brain's _newly found love, daughter of Aphrodite; a fine and smoking hot goddess and I can judge that you're following her body shape and _someone_ must really agree on it with me." he smiled at Alex who was steaming. "…and you are?" he asked Arya "oh yes, I know, Arya Lightson. Your great-aunt isn't really happy with you messing with her business." Something crossed Arya's eyes before quickly hiding it.

"We're in a free country and I go wherever the _light_ sends me or is needed" she innocently replied with a dangerous look in her eyes which reminded Hazel and Piper that she was older and far more dangerous that she looked "well, I will only fight back if attacked" she added with a sweet smile. He quickly turned to Alex who clenched his fists.

"And the last for the better, ladies and gentlemen, let me have the pleasure and honor to introduce you the one demigod who has outdone, surpassed, bla bla bla whatever words you want…and outshined all his predecessors including his own _namesakes,_ my well and so loved _brother_ Alex π. Jackson or is it the other way around?" he grinned at Alex "yes son of _that old man_ with a _fork_" he gave him a sweet smile that disappeared when connected to Alex's fist.

The old man flew like a sheet of paper and landed on his back. Everybody was stunned and looked at a raging Alex. Not one of them had ever seen him like that, of course Piper had seen him like that once on the road and they all could remember his outburst in Rome against Don the faun, but he always remain under control of his acts, so far he had never raised his fist at anybody which surprised them even more was the fact that they didn't understand why he did so far the only embarrassing thing he have said was aimed at Piper and his father but they had understood that he hated his father. They didn't have to wait for answers because Alex had Revenge in his hands and it had a wicked glow as he was about to strike the old man.

"STOP" Piper screamed at him and he was immediately bound by her charmspeak just like the other; she knew that he would hate her for it but they needed the old pervert for their quest to succeed. Beside she didn't want to see him butchering an old man, "you can move" she said at the other while Alex was struggling under her charmspeak which had grown stronger than he ever expected. Hazel and 'Percy' helped him back on his feet, Frank t the Revenge from Alex's hand but quickly dropped it swearing. Hazel took the palm of his hand to see it burned. Alex was freed from his binding once Phineas was inside the restaurant; he gave Piper a glare that made her cower but stood up when he came to her.

"You never listen t what I say McLean" she could hear the anger and disappointment in his voice but refused to show any sign of weakness.

"I should've just let you kill him and raze any luck of succeeding our quest" she asked him with authority. She glanced behind him and saw Frank with spear in hands ready to summon Grey but she was sure that he wouldn't dare to attack him.

"I told you to never use your charmspeak on me" he spat at her, "I don't want to see your face once this quest his over we're done." It hurt her to hear him say it.

"It's not as if we ever were together" she too spat; he paused and gave her an odd look.

"Yes, I always knew it. But don't cry for me to take you with me or stay once I'm gone. Go back to your precious Roman" the last part was whispered which didn't stop Hazel from hearing the last part. Piper slapped him but it didn't change what she saw in his eyes. He walked out on her to the restaurant's door where Arya stood on the on front. Hazel nudged Frank in the ribs and he understood that they wanted a girly time, as he passed by he did miss the few trails of tears that started to collect on the corner of her eyes. Piper didn't understand how barely few hours ago they kissed and now he was talking about never seeing her face again but as if he wasn't cruel enough he had to bring Jason into it; Hazel came to her and took her in her arms swearing to kill Alex as soon as the quest is over.

Later the girls entered and found Phineas sitting on a table with Frank by his side shielding him from Alex who stood at its end while 'Percy' was across the man.

He waved his hand at the picnic table. In the nearby trees, the harpies shrieked miserably. As hungry as Frank was, he couldn't stand to think about eating with those poor bird ladies watching him.

"Look, I'm confused," 'Percy' said. "We need some information. We were told—"

"—that the harpies were keeping my food away from me," Phineas finished, "and if you helped me, I'd help you."

"Something like that," 'Percy' admitted. Phineas laughed.

"That's old news. Do I look like I'm missing any meals?" He patted his belly, which was the size of an overinflated basketball.

"Um ... no," 'Percy' said. Phineas waved his weed whacker in an expansive gesture. All three of them ducked.

"Things have changed, my friends!" he said. "When I first got the gift of prophecy, eons ago, it's true Jupiter cursed me. He sent the harpies to steal my food. You see, I had a bit of a big mouth. I gave away too many secrets that the gods wanted kept." He turned to Hazel and Alex. "For instance, the two of you are supposed to be dead. And you—" He turned to Frank. "Your life depends on a burned stick."

'Percy' frowned. "What are you talking about?" Hazel and Alex blinked like they'd been slapped. Frank looked like the truck had backed up and run over him again. "And you," Phineas turned to Piper (who was dead white still trying to sink in the fact that Hazel and possibly Alex should be dead) then to 'Percy', "well now, you don't even know who you are! I could tell you, of course, but…ha! What fun would that be, especially with _him_? And Brigid O'Shaughnessy shot Miles Archer in The Maltese Falcon. And Darth Vader is actually Luke's father. And the winner of the next Super Bowl will be—"

"Got it," Frank muttered. Hazel gripped her sword like she was tempted to pommel-whip the old man, already regretting why they stopped Alex from killing him.

"So you talked too much, and the gods cursed you. Why did they stop?"

"Oh, they didn't!" The old man arched his bushy eyebrows like, Can you believe it? "I had to make a deal with the Argonauts. They wanted information too, you see. I told them to kill the harpies, and I'd cooperate. Well, they drove those nasty creatures away, but Iris wouldn't let them kill the harpies. An outrage! So this time, when my patron brought me back to life—"

"Your patron?" Frank asked. Phineas gave him a wicked grin.

"Why, Gaea, of course. Who do you think opened the Doors of Death? Your girl friend here understands just like her boyfriend does. Isn't Gaea your patron, too?"

Hazel drew her sword. "I'm not his—I don't—Gaea is not my patron!" but Alex remained calm except for his eyes that looked like the sea in the storm. Phineas looked amused. If he had heard the sword being drawn, he didn't seem concerned.

"Fine, if you want to be noble and stick with the losing side, that's your business. But Gaea is waking. She's already rewritten the rules of life and death! I'm alive again, and in exchange for my help—a prophecy here, a prophecy there—I get my fondest wish. The tables have been turned, so to speak. Now I can eat all I want, all day long, and the harpies have to watch and starve." He revved his weed whacker, and the harpies wailed in the trees. "They're cursed!" the old man said. "They can eat only food from my table, and they can't leave Portland. Since the Doors of Death are open, they can't even die. It's beautiful!"

"Beautiful?" Frank protested. "They're living creatures. Why are you so mean to them?"

"They're monsters!" Phineas said. "And mean? Those feather-brained demons tormented me for years!"

"But it was their duty," 'Percy' said, smiling wickedly at him. "Jupiter ordered them to."

"Oh, I'm mad at Jupiter, too," Phineas agreed. "In time, Gaea will see that the gods are properly punished. Horrible job they've done, ruling the world. But for now, I'm enjoying Portland. The mortals take no notice of me. They think I'm just a crazy old man shooing away pigeons!" Hazel advanced on the seer.

"You're awful!" she told Phineas. "You belong in the Fields of Punishment!"

Phineas sneered. "One dead person to another, girlie? I wouldn't be talking. You started this whole thing! If it weren't for you, Alcyoneus wouldn't be alive!" Hazel stumbled back.

"Hazel?" Frank's eyes got as wide as quarters and Piper seemed to come to her sense from the first time. "What's he talking about?"

"Ha!" Phineas said. "You'll find out soon enough, Frank Zhang. Then we'll see if you're still sweet on your girlfriend. But that's not what you're here about, is it? You want to find Thanatos. He's being kept at Alcyoneus's lair. I can tell you where that is. Of course I can. But you'll have to do me a favor."

"Forget it," Hazel snapped. "You're working for the enemy. We should send you back to the Underworld ourselves."

"You could try." Phineas smiled. "But I doubt I'd stay dead very long. You see, Gaea has shown me the easy way back. And with Thanatos in chains, there's no one to keep me down! Besides, if you kill me, you won't get my secrets." Piper was tempted to let Hazel use her sword. In fact she wanted to strangle the old man herself. Camp Jupiter, she told herself. Saving the camp is more important. She remembered Alcyoneus taunting her in her dreams. If they wasted time searching through Alaska looking for the giant's lair, Gaea's armies would destroy the Romans…and Piper's other friends included some brown-haired boy, wherever they were. She gritted his teeth and decided t use her powers.

"I would stop if I were you, just one word out of your mouth and I'll cut my tongue" Phineas warned her.

"So what's the favor?" she asked him, Phineas licked his lips greedily.

"There's one harpy who's quicker than the rest."

"The red one," Alex guessed.

"I'm blind! I don't know colors!" the old man groused. "At any rate, she's the only one I have trouble with. She's wily, that one. Always does her own thing, never roosts with the others. She gave me these." He pointed at the scars on his forehead. "Capture that harpy," he said. "Bring her to me. I want her tied up where I can keep an eye on her…ah, so to speak. Harpies hate being tied up. It causes them extreme pain. Yes, I'll enjoy that. Maybe I'll even feed her so that she lasts longer." He laughed.

He allowed them to leave as Alex walked through the door calling his friends after him but not without Phineas remembering them that the fate of their quest thus of the world was up to them, and they only could grab its wings.

Once outside they all heard a very shook up Hazel says:

"He has to die again" and Piper admitted she would've like if it was the case as they all nodded at Hazel's words but unfortunately she had to remember that Hazel and she were the ones who stopped Alex from doing it and she could tell that Hazel also thought of it. Stopping him from killing had put her on Alex's persona non grata list but he couldn't help herself from wondering why he reacted so violently at few words when he barely did in Rome or on their way to the city. Though one thing came out of the mess, Hazel had been dead just like Alex was; but how come 2 people supposed to be dead were walking beside her on the streets. She wasn't much surprised about Hazel but Alex, she wondered what kind of monster would've been able to do it and she didn't want to meet its fangs. All their eyes went from one to another but always came back at Alex who didn't even once glanced at her since they walked out.

"We should capture him then question him until he reveal everything to us" they all looked at him but it was Alex who spoke.

"You mean _torture_ him? If you're into torturing sour old men it won't be with me" he looked at the library in which the harpy had fled in "let's see the harpy first, something's fishy here." Taking the head, he went to the doors before they decided to follow him as he walked through the doors couple of minutes later.

They later walked in to find Alex glaring at the harpy, Hazel and Piper glanced at each other, but as soon one of them attempted to get close the monster it squealed. Once they had been able to calm her, they managed to understand what Phineas real objective. The harpy knew so many things, had read so much that when 'Percy' compared her to child of Athena which earned him a predatory glare from Alex and the look scared them all but 'Percy' who never saw it. The harpy managed to tell or more or less made them understand what Phineas fatal flaw was and they all were ready to meet him.

When they came back, they found their 'host' where they had left him; he sat there waiting for them with a few burritos on his plate. He was really happy to see them coming back fast with the harpy but his smile disappeared when Alex decided to change the deal while Hazel was trying her best to calm the harpy. Piper had her eyes on Alex, watching the young man taking the lead of their quest since they met Phineas. She understood why he did that because she was sure they all were too scared of the old man's words but Alex managed to steel himself and took the lead prophecies or a gotten her hands on a book of prophecy

Alex brought out the ceramic vials. "I have a different wager. We've got two flasks of gorgon's blood. One kills. One heals. They look exactly the same. Even we don't know which is which. If you choose the right one, it could cure your blindness."

Piper held her breath once she started to understand what Alex was about to do. She wanted to stop him but found herself voiceless, when she wanted to get closer to him her body wouldn't move. She glanced at Arya who had stayed outside but could be seen through the windows but the girl only shook her head refusing to understand what she wanted to tell her.

Phineas' voice brought her back to the scene when held out his hands eagerly. "Let me feel them. Let me smell them."

"Not so fast," Alex said. "First you agree to the terms." _Stop this madness please_ she screamed with her mind.

"Terms…" Phineas was breathing shallowly. Alex could tell he was hungry to take the offer. "Prophecy and sight ... I'd be unstoppable. I could own this city. I'd build my palace here, surrounded by food trucks. I could capture that harpy myself!"

"N-noo," Ella said nervously. "Nope, nope, nope." A villainous laugh is hard to pull off when you're wearing pink bunny slippers, but Phineas gave it his best shot.

"Very well, demigod. What are your terms?"

"You get to choose a vial," Alex said. "No uncorking, no sniffing before you decide."

"That's not fair! I'm blind."

"And I don't have your sense of smell," Alex countered.

"You can hold the vials. And I'll swear on the River Styx that they look identical. They're exactly what I told you: gorgon's blood, one vial from the left side of the monster, one from the right. And I swear that none of us knows which is which."

Alex looked back at Hazel. "Uh, you're our Underworld expert. With all this weird stuff going on with Death, is an oath on the River Styx still binding?"

"Yes," she said, without hesitation. "To break such a vow…Well, just don't do it. There are worse things than death."

Phineas stroked his beard. "So I choose which vial to drink. You have to drink the other one. We swear to drink at the same time."

"Right," Alex said.

"The loser dies, obviously," Phineas said. "That kind of poison would probably keep even me from coming back to life…for a long time, at least. My essence would be scattered and degraded. So I'm risking quite a lot."

"But if you win, you get everything," Alex said. "If I die, my friends will swear to leave you in peace and not take revenge. You'd have your sight back, which even Gaea won't give you."

The old man's expression soured. Piper could tell he'd struck a nerve. Phineas wanted to see. As much as Gaea had given him, he resented being kept in the dark.

"If I lose," the old man said, "I'll be dead, unable to give you information. How does that help you?" Alex was glad he'd talked this through with his friends ahead of time. Frank had suggested the answer.

"You write down the location of Alcyoneus's lair ahead of time," Alex said. "Keep it to yourself, but swear on the River Styx it's specific and accurate. You also have to swear that if you lose and die, the harpies will be released from their curse."

"Those are high stakes," Phineas grumbled. "You face death, Alexander Jackson, like _someone _we both know. Wouldn't it be simpler just to hand over the harpy?"

"Not an option."

Phineas smiled slowly. "So you are starting to understand her worth. Once I have my sight, I'll capture her myself, you know. Whoever controls that harpy…well, I was a king once. This gamble could make me a king again."

"You're getting ahead of yourself," Alex said. "Do we have a deal?"

Phineas tapped his nose thoughtfully. "I can't foresee the outcome. Annoying how that works. A completely unexpected gamble…it makes the future cloudy. But I can tell you this, Alexander π. Jackson—a bit of free advice. If you survive today, you're not going to like your future especially what you're going to see and learn in the North. What you fear the most shall happen you will be betrayed…_like before_. A big sacrifice is coming, and you won't have the courage to make it. That will cost you and the girl you love dearly. It will cost the world dearly. It might be easier if you just choose the poison."

Piper's mouth tasted like Iris's sour green tea. She wanted to think the old man was just psyching him out, but something told her the prediction was true. As she remembered what had happened to Percy Jackson back then at CHB, his girlfriend's betrayal, his friends' and mentor's, his parents' death. She was sure that Alex had thought about his lost friend by the way his eyes turned cold and his hands tightly clenched on the vials.

In the trees around the parking lot, the harpies gathered to watch as if they sensed what was at stake. 'Percy' looked fascinated to see someone's death by poison, while Frank and Hazel studied Alex's face with concern. He'd assured them the odds weren't as bad as fifty-fifty. He did have a plan. Of course, the plan could backfire. His chance of survival might be a hundred percent—or zero.

"Do we have a deal?" he asked again.

Phineas grinned. "I swear on the River Styx to abide by the terms, just as you have described them. Frank Zhang, you're the descendant of an Argonaut. I trust your word. If I win, do you and your friend Hazel swear to leave me in peace, and not seek revenge?"

Frank's hands were clenched so tight Alex thought he might break his gold spear, but he managed to grumble, "I swear it on the River Styx."

"I also swear," Hazel said.

"I swear" 'Percy' eagerly said. They all looked at Piper waiting for her to swear.

"Please, don't make me do it. There must be another way" she pleaded at them looking at each of their faces.

"Oh so sweet" Phineas said full of sarcasme.

"I can't handle your death." She said looking at Alex and for a moment his eyes lightened and turned sea green before coming back to their usual sea blue. The look in his eyes told her that there was no other way around it so she choked the words "I swear".

"Swear," Ella muttered. "'Swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon.'"

Phineas laughed. "In that case, find me something to write with. Let's get started."

Frank borrowed a napkin and a pen from a food truck vendor. Phineas scribbled something on the napkin and put it in his bathrobe pocket.

"I swear this is the location of Alcyoneus's lair. Not that you'll live long enough to read it." Alex drew his sword and swept all the food off the picnic table. Phineas sat on one side. Alex sat on the other. Phineas held out his hands. "Let me feel the vials."

Alex gazed at the hills in the distance and Piper followed his eyes to see what had catch his attention but only saw the hills; for a moment she thought that he was trying to have a good sight as the last thing she wanted to see and she bitted her bottom lip until she tasted her own blood in her mouth.

Phineas curled his fingers in a grasping motion. "Losing your nerve, Alex Jackson? Let me have them."

Alex passed him the vials. The old man compared their weight. He ran his fingers along the ceramic surfaces. Then he set them both on the table and rested one hand lightly on each. A tremor passed through the ground—a mild earthquake, just strong enough to make Alex's teeth chatter. Ella cawed nervously.

The vial on the left seemed to shake slightly more than the one on the right. Phineas grinned wickedly. He closed his fingers around the left-hand vial. "You were a fool, Alex Jackson. I choose this one. Now we drink."

Alex took the vial on the right. His teeth were chattering.

The old man raised his vial. "A toast to the sons of Neptune." Before winking at 'Percy' who didn't understand it until he was grabbed by Alex who poured some of the vials liquid in his mouth then in his own. It all happened so fast that none of them had the time to react.

They both uncorked their vials and drank. Immediately, Alex and 'Percy' doubled over, their throats burning.

"Noooo" Piper heard herself screaming and found herself on the ground pulling Alex's head on her chest "nooo, don't leave me please"

"Oh, gods," Hazel said behind him.

"Nope!" Ella said. "Nope, nope, nope."

Alex's vision blurred. He could see Phineas grinning in triumph, sitting up straighter, blinking his eyes in anticipation, he was feeling Piper's heartbeats and her tears freely falling on his head and cheeks.

Phineas was in ecstasy "Yes!" he cried. "Any moment now, my sight will return!" he then considered the two boys in pain and snickered "I see, not dying alone eh? To think you bring another child of the sea into it."

Alex had chosen wrong. He'd been stupid to take such a risk. He felt like broken glass was working its way through his stomach, into his intestines.

"Alex!" Frank gripped his shoulders. "Alex, you can't die!"

He gasped for breath…and suddenly his vision cleared. At the same moment, Phineas hunched over like he'd been punched.

"You—you can't!" the old man wailed. "Gaea, you—you—"

He staggered to his feet and stumbled away from the table, clutching his stomach. "I'm too valuable!" Steam came out of his mouth. A sickly yellow vapor rose from his ears, his beard, his blind eyes.

"Unfair!" he screamed. "You tricked me!"

He tried to claw the piece of paper out of his robe pocket, but his hands crumbled, his fingers turning to sand. Alex rose unsteadily as did 'Percy'. He didn't feel cured of anything in particular. His memory hadn't magically returned. But the pain had stopped.

"No one tricked you," Alex said. "You made your choice freely, and I hold you to your oath." The blind king wailed in agony. He turned in a circle, steaming and slowly disintegrating until there was nothing left but an old, stained bathrobe and a pair of bunny slippers.

"Those," Frank said, "are the most disgusting spoils of war ever."

Then 'Percy' jumped on Alex who punched him and slammed him on the table. "You tried to kill me filthy bastard." He screamed with blood on his mouth and nose.

"But you're alive" Alex said "but remember that when I will want you dead, it will be with my sword—" his voice died as his whole body tensed and he seemed far. Then came back in the restaurant.

Hazel prodded the robe with her sword. There was nothing underneath—no sign that Phineas was trying to reform.

She looked at Alex in awe. "That was either the bravest thing I've ever seen, or the stupidest."

Frank shook his head in disbelief. "Alex, how did you know? You were so confident he'd choose the poison."

"Gaea," Alex said. "She wants me to make it to Alaska. She thinks…I'm not sure. She thinks she can use me as part of her plan. She influenced Phineas to choose the wrong vial." Frank stared in horror at the remains of the old man.

"Gaea would kill her own servant rather than you? That's what you were betting on?"

"Plans," Ella muttered. "Plans and plots. The lady in the ground. Big plans for Per-Alex. Macrobiotic jerky for Ella."

Alex handed her the whole bag of jerky and she squeaked with joy. "Nope, nope, nope," she muttered, halfsinging.

"Phineas, nope. Food and words for Ella, yep."

Alex crouched over the bathrobe and pulled the old man's note out of the pocket. It read: HUBBARD GLACIER. All that risk for two words. He handed the note to Hazel.

"I know where that is," she said. "It's pretty famous. But we've got a long, long way to go."

They all settle on their little boat with Alex as far away from Piper as possible and still not even glancing at her; they sat in the silence listening to the sea before Hazel broke and started to tell them her story. At the end the girl stopped and waited for their judgment but it never came as they all reassured her that they trusted her and that she had been courageous to fight a goddess all by herself. From little Arya to Alex they all remained her friends and gave her their support which the little girls heart though Piper could tell that Alex and his sister had already guessed as much judging from their unsurprised faces and by the look they share thought Arya looked at her brother with a worrisome expression and the nervousness in Alex's eyes didn't reassure her about the rest of their quest. But it wasn't the same for 'Percy' who clearly showed a disgusted face and step back but when his eyes met Piper's he gave her a warm smile that didn't quite likely reach his eyes and Piper suddenly felt as though she had heard about someone who matched his expression but as soon as the impression came it faded.

Suddenly Hazel and Frank collapsed and their friends, minus 'Percy', quickly ran to them checking what was wrong but Ella assured them that they were alright and just 'sharing' and that it's the last time it will ever happen. So they settled their friends in more comfortable position and let them 'share' while Arya came to talk with Piper who gathered that there was a new born tension between the sibling as they got closer to their destination but the little girl refused to give her a better explanation than it was Alex's fault and got nothing else when she tried to go further.

They woke their friends once they got closer to Portland and for the first time since they knew her, Hazel looked more relaxed and grounded. They understood that Hazel and Frank were together in her blackout 'sharing' whatever there was. They got off the boat as Percy explained that he had a message from Reyna for her sister who might be a big help not only for them but also for their quest though he didn't understand who she was neither did the others but the knowledge of Alex and Reyna alone in the pavilion had set the depth of her stomach on fire as her thoughts wondered about what happened or might have happened between the two demigods. _Wasn't it forbidden for demigods of opposite sex and different parent to be alone in a room? _She thought, gods she must have known better when she saw the way Reyna looked at him when they first met then after the fight with Mars. She felt someone's eyes on her and looked at her friends to find Alex, Frank and 'Percy' arguing about something while Arya and Hazel's eyes were on her full of mischief as they gave her knowing smiles. Piper felt her blood rushing on her face and quickly to the head of the expedition to avoid Hazel and Arya's smiles, breaking the boys from their argument.

Thanks to Ella they learned that they were looking for the amazons and it didn't take them long to find one of their offices. But things didn't happen as they had expected, as soon as that stupid 'Percy' said that he wanted to see Hylla, a real commando came out of nowhere and took care of them. The only one who had been able to see it coming (like always) which angered her the most: was Alex. She could almost hear him telling to never let her guard down no matter where she was. The guy threw off every attack that came at him without even once hurting any of his attackers but he stopped when she had a knife on her throat. _Her_ throat, she heard Arya's words from that night when she had sneaked on Alex and her arguing, back then when she thought that Hunter was his name: "_You may have lost it but she's your heel_" the little girl had said angrily at her brother. She really was his Achilles' heel, and what happened in the hall just confirmed it, she was _weak_ and it shamed her that she had been the first to be taken, for gods sake, even Hazel who was younger than her had gotten the sense to pull out her sword but her… but it hurt to admit how weak she was and felt after all those late night session trainings with Alex. Here she was, being brought to the amazons queen to be judged. All the way and during all the talking she had been turned on herself only hearing blurs of their conversations though she recognized the voices. When she nearly came back to herself it was to learn that Arya for all the heaven along with had broke them out and that she was on some kind of flying chariot before feeling nauseous and blacking out.

When she woke up, she found herself mopping inside an old house with Chinese art on every walls. She looked around for any familiar face but found nothing. She walked around the house and glanced outside and what she saw sacred her.

"Thanks Pluto you're awake" a voice said behind her making her jump. She turned around to find the daughter of Pluto standing before stairs. "Sorry for scaring you but you have to take something to eat before we leave which means soon seeing what is waiting for us outside." She nodded at the group of monsters waiting for them few yards from the house.

Piper shuddered at the sight behind the window; she tightened her cover on her body and looked down on her new clothes wondering how come she was wearing and Hazel answered her silent question.

"I changed your clothes…well there was vomit on them" both made a frown at the thought.

"I'm going to take a bath and then eat." She weakly said walking past the Roman girl but she put a hand on her to stop Piper.

"It wasn't your fault back there, you—"

"No I was too weak to act. Even Arya _did_ something" she sharply cut her before walking on her. She past a room and peeked inside to see Frank standing and talking to an old woman lying on her bed. She found a bath and cried about her weakness before throwing up whatever meal had turned sour inside her stomach. She felt the bile in her mouth as water wetted on hair and then mixed itself to her tears.

She woke up lying on a bed made with silk sheets; she came up and came out of the room to find her mother sitting near a window looking the garden outside. Her mother looked at her, before favoring her daughter a small smile. Piper had never seen her mother looking so sober, she _almost_ looked like one of those beautiful female warrior in her knee-length robe with a dagger on her hip; her dark shining hairs were pulled back into a single braid, she wore sandals one had a knife on its side and bracelets on her forearms. She still looked stern yet beautiful and wickedly dangerous. The girl instinctively recognized the other aspect of her mother and kneeled with her face looking at the ground.

"Lady Venus." She said without once glancing up. She was waiting for her execution and hash words. Expecting her to scream at her for the frustration, of how she was disappointed of her actions with the amazons, or ashamed of her weakness. Why would it be Venus who called for her if not to punish her?

"I don't remember ever asking you to kneel before me the last time we talk. Beside it isn't the proper way to act around your mother." The goddess said, standing before her daughter cupping her cheek. The girl stood then hugged her mother who eagerly returned the hug. Piper had been crying on her mother's shoulder for how long, she did know. But her mother still held her massaging her back and neck with her delicate hands.

"I feel silly and embarrassed to act like that at my age." She said once she stopped crying.

"Now you're being silly. Crying isn't about age neither seeking the comfort of your mother's arms." The goddess said bringing her by the window where two wooden chairs were. Venus took her daughter's hands in hers smiling at her. "strength isn't about the way you hold your sword but it's about the heart because it comes from it, and it will come in the right moment for. Strength is about you taking actions when it is necessary."

"It was _the_ moment to be strong, to take actions but I couldn't do it." She weakly replied.

"Piper, you've fought monsters head on during your entire journey to Rome. Not being able to act because you were taken by surprise doesn't mean that you're weak. I know it for sure and Alex too knows it too, just like your other friends: Hazel, Arya and Frank." The goddess finished once again smiling at her daughter.

"During your quest with Leo and Jason we talked. Do you remember about what we talked about?"

The girl nodded at the question as she answered "it was about you being the eldest of the Olympian and the only child of Uranus on the council."

"yes but I also talked to you about your brother Aeneas who lived back then in the time of troy when the gods were _only_ Greek." the goddess had a faraway look in her eyes making her daughter wondering if she was reliving it "back then he grew up with many demigods and was trained like you by Chiron. Just like you, he was surrounded by a few talented and strong heroes or intelligent ones who were already recognized to many. Among them were: Achilles, Odysseus, Telephus, Ajax… and many others, most of them princes and even kings. But he was _only_ a son of Aphrodite which meant that apart from his beauty he had nothing else." She paused and looked at her daughter.

"But he wasn't only beautiful right?"

"No." she caressed Piper's hairs, "no, during the war other heroes and mortals proved themselves on battlefield and made their own names; even Aeneas' own cousin Hector marked the war as much as Achilles himself. It all changed when the Greeks got into Troy's walls and stared to destroy the city, it was only then that people saw Aeneas strength when Paris put their people's life in his hands asking him to save those he could and take them away from the burning city. But he did more than that." She looked at the garden as the light made her face shine in the eyes of Piper.

"What did he do?" Piper asked suddenly more than interested in a far away sibling's deed.

"He took the Lares with him along with the Troyan sword that his cousin had given him. He sneaked out of town with those he could save and sailed for Italy. He protected the remaining troyans all the way from Greece to Italy where he fought to get lands for his people, build a kingdom for them and introduced us into those lands that later would give birth to one of greatest empire and civilization." She looked at her daughter in the eyes adding "his strength came out at the right moment just when it needed, so will come yours."

"Thanks mom" the girl hugged her.

"Honey…your boyfriend will face something difficult."

"He's not my boyfriend." She protested.

"Though you obliviously like each other" Piper wanted to protest but her mother raised her hand stopping her. Seeing the serious expression on her mother's face Piper reluctantly stopped herself. "Someone here on Olympus had done something wrong to Percy's family. We both know how much Alex values Percy's friendship…he's about to find out who did it, and here people are afraid that he- you know, he might change side."

Piper looked at her mother scandalized "They killed Sally Jackson and Paul Blofis? Oh gods you killed her baby?"Piper stood from her chair and took a step back from her mother.

"I didn't kill him and I don't who did so stop looking at me like that." Her mother screamed.

"That's why you never found Percy's soul; he _knew_ and now might be with Gaea. That's why you're afraid that he might talk to Alex. That's why they sent you to talk to me so that I would hold him back for you." She was still by what she had learned and understood. "Who was it that killed them?" she asked but either Aphrodite didn't know or had a good poker face because she gave nothing.

"That's not for you to know. Just understand that people are anxious here and now more about Alex's future acts than the quest success. If he's posing to be a threat…they want you to- to" the goddess had a hard time to finish it because she was well aware of her daughter's for Alexander. But it was her who volunteered for the message bearer or it would've been one of those unstable Roman gods to do it.

"NO" Piper screamed at her, "I know what you want me to do, it's no and you can throw at their faces."

"ACT LIKE A ROMAN FOR ONCE" the goddess screamed at her "Piper, Percy's soul wasn't the only Jackson that escaped the underworld, Sally's and Paul's souls did too and we have to assume that they went with him."

"I'm not a Roman, so don't expect me to act as one. And I don't kill nor betray my friends." She said to her mother wiping the tears from her cheeks."

"Now it's time for you go back to your friends" Aphrodite said then kissed her daughter before wishing her good luck.

Piper came back to herself and felt cold metal of the bath and the now cold water in which she had cried to sleep. She came out just in time to see Alex, Arya, Hazel and 'Percy' bombing the army of monsters. She couldn't help thinking about her conversation with her mother. She was so wrapped in her thoughts that she did everything mechanically from time to time she came out of it: when on the plane watching Alex whispering some words with closed eyes as if talking at someone, when they rushed out of the train and watched Alex falling from a nest of griffins from the top of a tree and standing up as if he fell from a chair. Then it was when they tried to escape angry griffins by hiding under icy giants. She stopped thinking when once in Alaska, a monster broke out from the ice and came out of the cold water to grab her arm and dove back into the sea with her. She blacked out feeling the cold of the water invading her body as the warmth left her.

**OH I WONDER WHAT WILL HAPPENED NEXT? AND WHERE DID SALLY AND PAUL'S SOULS WENT? I HAVE A GOOD TWIST INVOLVING SOMEONE...EUH NO ON SOMETHING THAT MIGHT LEAD TO A NEXT SERIE. BUT LET'S LEAVE IT FOR MY MIND.**

**I HOPE YOU ENJOYED ALL THOSE CHAPTERS BECAUSE SEE ME IN ONE MONTH ;) YES I LOVE YOU TOO. :P**


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